1
as in to postpone
to assign to a later time
held up mail delivery until we had a permanent address
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Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stop
to bring (something) to a standstill
traffic was held up for miles by the accident
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to hamper
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
if lack of transportation is the only thing holding you up, I can give you a ride
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4
as in to survive
to continue to operate or to meet one's needs
the air conditioner held up this year, but it's not going to make it through another summer
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5
as in to remain
to remain indefinitely in existence or in the same state
the storm's hurricane-force winds did not hold up once it hit the coast
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6
as in to fly
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
an argument that won't hold up in court
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as in delay
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
a holdup in construction due to the weather
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold up
Aaron Beard, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2025
The retailer has faced challenges in holding up its in-person business, despite becoming a mainstay of the meme stock frenzy in 2021.
—Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2025
However, the holdup on congressional action is a lack of input from the White House, which could also opt to act unilaterally to revise existing outbound investment regulations.
—Owen Tedford, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Verb
Sam Bennett added an empty-net goal with 54 seconds left by skating down a loose puck straight out of the penalty box after the Panthers had held up against a critical late power play for the Hurricanes.
—Aaron Beard, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2025
The retailer has faced challenges in holding up its in-person business, despite becoming a mainstay of the meme stock frenzy in 2021.
—Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
Noun
The $14 million was what the judge determined to be the potential loss to developers due to the city’s holdup of the project, including lost profits, inflation, the increasing cost of materials, and interest and utility costs.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2025
However, the holdup on congressional action is a lack of input from the White House, which could also opt to act unilaterally to revise existing outbound investment regulations.
—Owen Tedford, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
-
Some bankers, for example, are telling their clients to postpone M&A until U.S. trade policy becomes clearer.—
Rusty Wiley,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
-
Clean up habitat down by the L.A. River Volunteers are needed from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve for Friends of the L.A. River’s habitat restoration day and Earth Month celebration, postponed because of rain last month.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2025
Verb
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The chase reportedly ended when Buckley wrecked near the intersection of Watts and McAlister streets, an area of mostly forest about 1 1/2 miles southeast of where Buckley was first stopped.—
Grant Lancaster,
Arkansas Online,
25 May 2025
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It's been hard for any team to stop Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was named the regular season MVP.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 May 2025
Verb
-
Keep clear of puddles - Driving through puddles or low rainwater areas can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2025
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Online shopping has been severely hampered at the retailer due to outages to its website that are expected to last into July.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
28 May 2025
Verb
-
Purdum stresses both Arnaz’s underappreciated talents as a producer and showbiz entrepreneur and the couple’s enduring bond, which survived even their divorce and remarriages to others.—
Julia M. Klein,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2025
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The high-level policy encouraged a flood of startups, of which only a handful survived.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
29 May 2025
Verb
-
Brands must be agile and deeply attuned to cultural shifts to remain relevant.—
Billee Howard,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
-
Those that are too old or damaged from collisions or fires to ever return to city streets sometimes remain in the yard so they can be stripped for parts or used for training.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2025
Verb
-
This technology allows even those with limited flying experience to handle the bike safely and confidently.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2025
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This was the first launch since Bezos' fiancé Lauren Sánchez flew with an all-woman crew that included pop star Katy Perry and TV morning show host Gayle King in April.—
Robert Z. Pearlman,
Space.com,
31 May 2025
Noun
-
Nola’s delay Two days ago, Aaron Nola tested his sprained right ankle for the first time since going on the injured list May 16.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
26 May 2025
-
The game was supposed to start at 5 p.m., but heavy rains moved into the area just before gametime, drenching the fields and causing the delay.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 May 2025
Verb
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The agreement appears to essentially lock in the exemptions in perpetuity, requiring any future Ukrainian legislation to defer and yield to this international treaty.—
Andrew Leahey,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
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The city can achieve their highest statutory purpose, boost local jobs and the local economy, and address critical environmental needs — needs that will become more expensive if deferred.—
Jim Peugh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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