deferred
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.delayed or put off until a later time.
adj.postponed or delayed until a future time; often used in professional contexts regarding projects or decisions.
Simple“The committee reached a deferred decision after they realised they needed more information.”
In context“The board issued a deferred response to the merger proposal, citing the need for a more comprehensive audit of the competitor's assets.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
adj.describes money, taxes, or payments that are recorded now but handled at a future date.
adj.pertaining to an asset or liability whose value or payment is not realised until a future period.
Simple“The company has a deferred tax liability that they must pay next year.”
In context“By opting for a deferred annuity, the investor ensured a steady stream of income that would only commence upon their retirement.”
UsageCommonly used in the phrases 'deferred tax' or 'deferred payment'.
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.the past tense of 'defer', meaning you moved something to a later date.
v.the past tense and past participle of the transitive verb 'defer', indicating the act of postponement.
Simple“They deferred the start of the project until the new manager arrived.”
In context“The department deferred the implementation of the new software until all staff members had completed the mandatory training modules.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
v.the past tense of 'defer', meaning you let someone else decide because you respect them.
v.the past tense of the intransitive verb 'defer', meaning to submit to another's wishes or authority out of respect.
Simple“He deferred to his older sister when it came to choosing a gift for their parents.”
In context“The junior researchers deferred to the lead scientist's expertise when interpreting the unexpected results of the clinical trial.”
UsageUsually followed by the preposition 'to'.
- 05 C2 Proficiency
n.a tool in computer programming that represents a result that is not ready yet.
n.an object used in asynchronous programming to manage a result that will be available in the future.
Simple“The function returns a deferred so the program can keep running while the data loads.”
In context“The developer utilised a deferred object to handle the multiple asynchronous requests, ensuring the interface remained responsive during the data fetch.”
“A record 23,000 students have already deferred their places this year.”