The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word ADJOURNING
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
A
D
J
O
U
R
N
I
N
G
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Putting off" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case putting off = adjourning.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ADJOURNING mean?
ADJOURNING verb- To postpone.
- To defer; to put off temporarily or indefinitely.
- To end or suspend an event.
- To move as a group from one place to another.