holding pattern

noun

1

: the usually oval course flown (as over an airport) by aircraft awaiting clearance especially to land

2

: a state of waiting or suspended activity or progress

Synonyms

• abeyance
• cold storage
• deep freeze
• doldrums
• dormancy
• latency
• moratorium
• quiescence
• suspended animation
• suspense
• suspension

Examples of holding pattern in a Sentence

Our plane was in a holding pattern for almost an hour because of the fog.

repair work on the bridge was in a holding pattern for the duration of the winter

Recent Examples on the Web

After being in a holding pattern for over a week, the Sparta II has finally been allowed to dock at Tarth's to evacuate the Russian equipment from the base. —Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025

Now Arenado and the Cardinals are at the mercy of the industry, trapped in a holding pattern as baseball’s countdown to spring training ticks louder. —Katie Woo, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025

Nowadays, Dodge offers just two cars for sale: the Hornet and Durango SUVs, though that is somewhat of a holding pattern before the brand goes electric with cars like the new Charger. —Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 6 Jan. 2025

When everything is familiar, our brains go into a kind of holding pattern. —Janice Kaplan, TIME, 3 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1952, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

holding pattern

noun

1

: the course flown (as over an airport) by an aircraft waiting for permission to land

2

: a state of waiting or suspended activity

the project is in a holding pattern