Verschiebung

/fɛɐ̯ˈʃiːbʊŋ/
postponement

Die Verschiebung des Termins war leider unumgänglich.

The postponement of the appointment was unfortunately unavoidable.


Business
formal

The rescheduling of an event, meeting, or deadline to a later time.

Wegen der Verschiebung der Konferenz müssen wir unsere Flüge umbuchen.

Because of the postponement of the conference, we have to rebook our flights.

Often combined with the preposition 'auf' to indicate the new date.

Engineering
technical

A physical displacement, shift, or translation of an object or spatial boundary.

Die tektonische Verschiebung verursachte ein leichtes Erdbeben.

The tectonic shift caused a minor earthquake.

technical

In psychoanalytic theory, an unconscious defense mechanism where emotional reactivity is redirected from its original object to a safer substitute.

Freud beschrieb die Verschiebung als wichtigen Abwehrmechanismus in Träumen.

Freud described displacement as an important defense mechanism in dreams.

Collocations

zeitliche Verschiebungpostponement / time shiftVerschiebung des Terminspostponement of the appointmenttektonische Verschiebungtectonic shiftVerschiebung der Machtverhältnisseshift in the balance of power

Related Phrases

etwas auf später verschiebenphrase
to postpone something to later

Pro Tip

Verschiebung vs. Absage

A 'Verschiebung' implies the event will still take place at a later date, whereas an 'Absage' means complete cancellation.

Gold Rule

Grammar and Gender

Nouns ending in '-ung' in German are consistently feminine ('die Verschiebung', plural 'die Verschiebungen').

Word Origin

Derived from the German verb 'verschieben' (to shift, postpone, move away) combined with the nominalizing suffix '-ung'.

Usage Notes

Pay attention to context: in daily business, 'Verschiebung' almost always refers to moving a date or deadline (postponement), whereas in technical, scientific, or political contexts it usually means a movement or structural shift.

Word Breakdown

ver-
prefix expressing displacement, change, or misdirection
prefix
+
schieben
to push or slide
root
+
-ung
suffix that converts verbs into feminine action/result nouns
suffix
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