The phrasal verb "put off" is predominantly used in informal contexts, although it can occasionally appear in formal speech when discussing delays in schedules or projects. It generally means to delay or postpone something to a later time. Commonly used in everyday conversation, one might say, "I had to put off the meeting until next week," or "Don't put off your homework until the night before it's due." In these sentences, "put off" suggests postponement due to lack of readiness or other intervening circumstances. The verb "put off" can also mean to cause someone to lose interest or become disinterested, as in "The loud noise put me off my lunch." This second meaning is less common but still relevant, indicating versatility in the phrasal verb's usage.
B1
PreIntermediate
1. To delay or postpone doing something.
I often put off doing my homework until the last minute.
The meeting was put off due to scheduling conflicts.
2. To discourage someone from doing something or to cause them to lose interest.
The bad weather put me off going for a walk.
His rude behavior really put me off meeting him again.