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
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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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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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
Brian Welk, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2025
From limitation to expansion Don’t hold back on your dreams.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes, 22 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
But the film, which stars Jennifer Lopez and Diego Luna, is holding back on early screenings while banking on this being an exciting discovery.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2025
From limitation to expansion Don’t hold back on your dreams.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for holdback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holdback
Noun
-
In the face of the delay of bringing the mission to its full operational strength of 2,500, the security situation continues to deteriorate.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
25 Jan. 2025
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Now, county officials are calling for an independent investigation into the delay of the evacuation alert — which comes on the heels of other issues with the emergency alert system, including erroneously calling for the evacuation of other parts of the county on Thursday, Jan. 9.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
People.com,
24 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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Royce Lewis The first overall pick of an underwhelming 2017 draft by the Minnesota Twins, Lewis' career has been hampered early and often by injuries.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In addition to the expansive damage to homes that can drive deep, costly repairs, extreme weather events like these also cause catastrophic damage to minority communities’ basic infrastructure and functionality, stifling local commerce, transportation, and access to healthcare.—
Jerel Ezell,
TIME,
28 Jan. 2025
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Anunoby and Bridges use their length and versatility to stifle ball movement and lock down primary scorers, while Hart relentlessly hunts 50/50 balls.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
28 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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This week has felt like an eternity, but today Nintendo finally ended the excruciating wait for an official Switch 2 reveal.—
Jason Evangelho,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Several parties are in contention even as potential buyers face a litany of legal hurdles and barriers.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
24 Jan. 2025
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Aspiring farmers have to navigate around numerous hurdles, including: Environmental reviews Vessel traffic studies Overlapping jurisdictions between state and federal agencies This makes even small-scale operations financially daunting to launch.—
Heide Brandes,
thehustle.co,
24 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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Demographers have found little, if any, evidence that EWIs harm or suppress the employment or wages of local people.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
26 Jan. 2025
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To keep shooting, Pasha must suppress his rage and only dares to carry out small protests — such as playing the U.S. national anthem sung by Lady Gaga — but those are enough to earn him suspicion.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
25 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near holdback
Cite this Entry
“Holdback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holdback. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
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