Synonyms of held back

held back

verb

past tense of hold back

1

as in hampered

to create difficulty for the work or activity of

the only thing holding them back from joining the swim team is lack of transportation

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hampered
• hindered
• impeded
• embarrassed
• obstructed
• tied up
• handicapped
• interfered (with)
• delayed
• trammelled
• inhibited
• held up
• blocked
• cramped
• stymied
• encumbered
• clogged
• trammeled
• disrupted
• hobbled
• handcuffed
• shackled
• gave a hard time
• short-circuited
• restrained
• constrained
• cramped one's style
• tied
• fettered
• manacled
• bound
• hog-tied
• frustrated
• thwarted
• checked
• retarded
• bogged (down)
• retained
• balked
• reined
• stifled
• curbed
• arrested
• tethered
• baffled
• choked
• chained
• braked
• leashed
• confined
• barricaded
• strangled
• hemmed (in)
• mired
• hedged (in)
• haltered
• blockaded
• sabotaged
• foiled
• stumped
• derailed
• roadblocked
• smothered
• repressed
• suffocated
• muzzled
• suppressed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• helped
• assisted
• aided
• facilitated
• opened
• released
• cleared
• made way
• liberated
• freed
• untied
• promoted
• unplugged
• smoothed
• encouraged
• loosened
• unstopped
• unclogged
• furthered

2

as in stifled

to refrain from openly showing or uttering

held back her tears until she was alone

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stifled
• suppressed
• swallowed
• choked (back)
• contained
• repressed
• submerged
• controlled
• managed
• smothered
• strangled
• pocketed
• sunk
• sank
• governed
• checked
• quashed
• curbed
• bottled up
• muffled
• quelled
• bridled
• squelched

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• expressed
• released
• took out
• unleashed
• vented
• loosed