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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2
as in to stop
to bring (something) to a standstill
traffic was held up for miles by the accident
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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold up
Wayne Sterling, CNN, 17 Dec. 2024
Language addressing insurer prior authorizations in Medicare Advantage that was holding up completion of a year-end health care package is likely to be dropped by negotiators, per sources familiar with the talks.
—Victoria Knight, Axios, 16 Dec. 2024
Fred Katz, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024
The holdup caused a public outcry because the rule changes are intended to help the Agriculture Department stem the movement of commodities infested by pests, including coconut rhinoceros beetles.
—CBS News, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hold up 
Verb
Related article Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss announces cancer battle
Before Monday’s game, former Vikings receivers Chris Carter and Jake Reed showed support for their former teammate Randy Moss by holding up his #84 jersey during the coin toss at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
—Wayne Sterling, CNN, 17 Dec. 2024
Language addressing insurer prior authorizations in Medicare Advantage that was holding up completion of a year-end health care package is likely to be dropped by negotiators, per sources familiar with the talks.
—Victoria Knight, Axios, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
The holdup in years past was the lack of rim protection that came with Randle at the five.
—Fred Katz, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024
The holdup caused a public outcry because the rule changes are intended to help the Agriculture Department stem the movement of commodities infested by pests, including coconut rhinoceros beetles.
—CBS News, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
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Further postponing the vehicle would only add to the problem because the vehicle’s high payroll costs would just be carried forward.Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 30 Dec. 2024
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That case was appealed to the Supreme Court, but the court declined to hear it, thereby at least postponing the day when the Supreme Court would rule on whether a charter school is a state actor or not.Peter Greene, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Message attachments will be removed, web pages will not display as normal, some calls will be blocked, some photo albums will be unavailable, some wireless connections will be disabled, and some accessories will stop working.Zak Doffman, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
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The storied ball has been lowered every year — except 1942 and 1943, due to lighting restrictions during World War II (which didn't stop crowds from gathering in Times Square).Rachel Treisman, NPR, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
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For years, Kazakhstan has worked with Jewish groups to repeal Cold War-era legislation hampering trade with the United States.Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
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Shacks and buildings were left completely destroyed when the cyclone struck the nation hampered by poverty.Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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By emphasizing the long-term game, DEI work can better survive the short-term backlash.Julie Kratz, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
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But Roz teaches the animals to act against their nature—to befriend one another, accept Brightbill, and work together to survive.Elvia Wilk, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Cold weather overflow shelters remain open Cold weather overflow shelters will remain open through 10 a.m. Sunday as Middle Tennessee prepares to sink back into a deep freeze over the weekend.Craig Shoup, The Tennessean, 22 Dec. 2024
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The Hilltop section of Columbus remains overrun by fentanyl.Maurice Tamman, USA TODAY, 22 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The first one, which flew in January 2021, lofted 143 satellites to orbit, a single-launch record that still stands.Mike Wall, Space.com, 21 Dec. 2024
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But flying in December — when air travel records are regularly broken — definitely isn’t for the faint of heart.Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Supply Chain Woes The top trend remains supply chain woes, with delays at Airbus, Boeing, engine makers and other suppliers.Ted Reed, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
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Hamlet, famously, vows revenge on his uncle, Claudius, for the murder of his father—but then he dithers, delays, and generally goes crazy, only killing Claudius at the very end of Shakespeare’s longest play.Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Federal officials would not provide details about the patient’s symptoms, deferring all inquiries to Louisiana’s Department of Public Health. Emails and calls to that agency went unanswered.Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
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However, this calculus depends on where households get their cash in order to defer the Social Security claiming age.Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near hold up
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
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