1
as in delay
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
there'll be a holdback on production until the new machinery is fully installed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the only holdback to starting the new job is my contractual commitment to my current position
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to hamper
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
the only thing holding them back from joining the swim team is lack of transportation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stifle
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
held back her tears until she was alone
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of holdback
Martin Dale, Variety, 11 Jan. 2023
The manufacturer pays the holdback price to the dealership once the dealer sells the vehicle.
—Elizabeth Rivelli, Car and Driver, 3 Feb. 2023
Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2025
By turns maddening and heartening, the film reaches a high point when a young trans person visits Zephyr and can’t hold back a tear.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for holdback 
Noun
France Télévisions also has first-window exclusivity for the French-language version, with a one-year holdback.
—Martin Dale, Variety, 11 Jan. 2023
The manufacturer pays the holdback price to the dealership once the dealer sells the vehicle.
—Elizabeth Rivelli, Car and Driver, 3 Feb. 2023
Verb
Yes, all funnel cakes are, but Dollywood doesn't hold back.
—Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2025
By turns maddening and heartening, the film reaches a high point when a young trans person visits Zephyr and can’t hold back a tear.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for holdback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holdback
Noun
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Complicating the court’s deliberations is that the nine-member court currently only has eight justices, due to a delay in filling vacancies left by retired justices.—
Helen Regan,
CNN,
13 Jan. 2025
-
This delay adds to a string of setbacks for New Glenn, which has been in development for a decade.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
13 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Discrediting the science As the industry’s recruitment of spokespeople aimed to stem the tide of local gas bans, SoCalGas faced another obstacle: Mounting research that revealed the harmful health effects of gas stoves.—
Ari Plachta,
Sacramento Bee,
17 Jan. 2025
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Their change of heart reflects the inconvenient practical obstacles to suddenly cutting off access to a popular platform.—
Johanna Costigan,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Which dyes carry more risks than others is also unclear due to the lack of research and funding, which is hampered by industry lobbying, added Mande, CEO of Nourish Science, a nongovernmental organization focused on US nutrition crises.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN,
17 Jan. 2025
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Plus, Henry is likely hampered for being too good too consistently for so long that his market simply remains flat.—
Larry Holder,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The Huskies also kept up their stifling defensive effort through the third quarter, though UConn’s less-experienced lineups struggled to limit St. John’s down the stretch.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
16 Jan. 2025
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However, many governments still subsidize the harmful status quo and actively stifle innovation.—
Rose Marcario,
TIME,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Long waits exist for defendants looking for capacity restoration services, and accessing mental healthcare in jail is difficult.—
Kallie Cox,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Jan. 2025
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Now, the families of the remaining hostages are enduring the same anxious wait, but for them, it's been 468 days.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Fetterman is a co-sponsor of the Laken Riley Act — an immigration bill aimed at curbing crime by migrants — which cleared its first hurdle toward passage in the Senate last week, when 33 Senate Democrats voted with Republicans in the 84-9 vote Thursday.—
Alex Gangitano,
The Hill,
13 Jan. 2025
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One persistent hurdle is maintaining staff engagement in a high-turnover industry.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes,
11 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Walker, in fact, explains that one of the by-products of alcohol metabolism is a class of chemicals, known as aldehydes, that are especially prone to impede REM sleep.—
Adam Gopnik,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
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These teams all have franchise players to build around and some contracts that would impede them from fully committing to the tear-down process.—
Shayna Goldman,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Facebook played a major role in the 2020 election and came under fire from Trump and Republicans for allegedly suppressing conservative voices.—
Brady Knox,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
14 Jan. 2025
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Some Korean veterans of that war were also involved in suppressing uprisings such as the one in Gwangju.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
14 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near holdback
Cite this Entry
“Holdback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holdback. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.
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