deferred

[dɪfˈɚd] /di-ˈfərd/ (ame, mw)

deferred — adjective

  • deferredpositive
  • more deferredcomparative
  • most deferredsuperlative

1. relating to money that is scheduled to be received or paid at a future date rath

1.形容詞B2
釋義

relating to money that is scheduled to be received or paid at a future date rather than immediately — for example, a student who takes out a loan with deferred payments does not have to start repaying it until after finishing their studies.

例句

Mira negotiated a deferred payment plan, agreeing to pay for the furniture over twelve months.

collocation: deferred payment plan

The accountant explained that Rafael's deferred income would be taxed when he retired in 2040.

collocation: deferred income

同義詞
  • postponed

    used for events and appointments rather than money

  • delayed

    broader; can suggest unexpected setbacks rather than planned scheduling

  • rescheduled

    implies a new date has been set; less formal than deferred

反義詞
  • immediate

    the opposite of deferred in payment contexts

  • upfront

    paid at the time of purchase rather than later

文法句型

deferred + noun

用法筆記

Almost always used attributively (before a noun). Common in financial, tax, and accounting contexts. Frequently found in compounds: tax-deferred, deferred-income, deferred-revenue.

常見錯誤

❌The meeting was deferred to next week.
✅The meeting was postponed to next week.
💡'deferred' as an adjective does not mean 'postponed' for events; use 'postponed' or 'delayed' instead.

2. describing costs or penalties that arise because necessary work or payments were

2.形容詞B2
釋義

describing costs or penalties that arise because necessary work or payments were not carried out on time, typically due to neglect rather than a planned choice — for example, a hospital that postpones servicing its air-conditioning system may incur deferred maintenance costs that grow each month.

例句

The apartment complex had two million dollars in deferred maintenance that the owners ignored.

collocation: deferred maintenance

Kwame received a deferred billing notice for the air conditioner repairs done six months earlier.

collocation: deferred billing notice

同義詞
  • overdue

    implies something should already have been done; deferred implies a deliberate choice to postpone

  • outstanding

    broader term for work or payments still pending

反義詞
  • current

    describes maintenance or bills that are being handled in the present

  • paid

    describes charges that have been settled

文法句型

deferred + noun

用法筆記

Frequently appears in property management, healthcare, and public infrastructure contexts. The noun that follows (maintenance, repairs, charge, billing) names what was postponed.

常見錯誤

❌I have deferred homework from last week.
✅I have overdue homework from last week.
💡'deferred' is not used for personal tasks; use 'overdue' or 'pending' instead.