Postpone and defer are two words that mean the same thing: to DELAY. They both refer to the act of putting off something until a later time. Postpone and defer can be used in many different contexts, such as when someone needs to DELAY a meeting or a deadline. In some cases, postponing or deferring something can be beneficial, such as when it allows for more time to prepare or to make a better decision. In other cases, it can be detrimental, such as when it causes a missed opportunity or a missed deadline.