To put off something means to delay or postpone it until later. When you put off your homework to watch TV instead, you're choosing to do it at another time. When a family puts off a vacation because someone gets sick, they reschedule it for when everyone is healthy.

Sometimes putting things off makes sense: you might put off mowing the lawn because it's raining, or put off a difficult conversation until you've had time to think carefully about what to say. But putting things off too often can create problems. If you keep putting off studying for a test, you might find yourself unprepared when test day arrives. If you put off cleaning your room for weeks, the mess gets harder and harder to tackle.

The phrase can also mean to make someone feel uncomfortable or uneasy, though this usage is less common. A person's rude behavior might put you off, making you want to avoid them. Or a strange smell might put you off your dinner, meaning it spoils your appetite.

When something gets put off, it's not canceled, just moved to a different time. The trick is knowing when delaying makes sense and when you're just avoiding something you need to do.