1
as in to postpone
to assign to a later time
held up mail delivery until we had a permanent address
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold up
Rachel McRady, People.com, 7 Feb. 2025
Helene Noa Dubois held up a service dog to the glass as Nelson spoke.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Feb. 2025
Gord Magill, Newsweek, 22 Dec. 2024
The last holdup to a major year-end health care package is a dispute over the details of a provision to streamline the prior authorization process in Medicare Advantage, sources say.
—Peter Sullivan, Axios, 14 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hold up 
Verb
Ben and Samuel were captured with matching expressions during one particularly exciting shot, with Samuel holding up three fingers and screaming as his excited dad watched the shot go in.
—Rachel McRady, People.com, 7 Feb. 2025
Helene Noa Dubois held up a service dog to the glass as Nelson spoke.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Feb. 2025
Noun
Most of the holdup is (more than likely) caused by negotiations with Alonso and his agent, Scott Boras.
—Gord Magill, Newsweek, 22 Dec. 2024
The last holdup to a major year-end health care package is a dispute over the details of a provision to streamline the prior authorization process in Medicare Advantage, sources say.
—Peter Sullivan, Axios, 14 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
-
Shakira has been hospitalized in Lima, Peru, and will postpone the show she was slated to perform Sunday (Feb. 16) as part of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour.—
Leila Cobo,
Billboard,
16 Feb. 2025
-
The singer noted the show will be postponed to a later date and said her team is working with the concert promoter on rescheduling.—
Edward Segarra,
USA TODAY,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Outside of suicide, the only way for a terminally ill person in Ohio to hasten their own death is to refuse life-prolonging treatments or to stop eating and drinking.—
Tim Botos,
USA TODAY,
18 Feb. 2025
-
However, Eke said, if Charlotte doesn’t succeed, the Berman family behind the bid won’t stop trying.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Getting the longest of those delays can hamper any chance of beating Tyson in the first round.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
9 Feb. 2025
-
Experts in workplace safety have warned that could inhibit them from speaking up about health threats on the job, hampering efforts to stop hazards and illnesses.—
Emily Alpert Reyes,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Any nuclear thermal propulsion fuel aboard a spacecraft would have to be able to survive extreme temperatures and exposure to hot hydrogen gas.—
Julian Dossett,
Space.com,
9 Feb. 2025
-
He is survived by his daughter, the actor Nicole Burley.—
Mark Kennedy,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
This is a decrease from the peak of 94.5 million in April 2023, but remains higher than the pre-pandemic level of 71.4 million in February 2020.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
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Brawley is also concerned about the quashing effect such actions will have on young scientists to remain in the field and create new labs.—
Alice Park,
TIME,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Now, of course, some people fly through, but eventually they get found out because dudes are always running checks, and especially when guys appeal.—
Bob Guccione Jr.,
SPIN,
11 Feb. 2025
-
The tour is involving Trump to get an investment deal done with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, which backs rival LIV Golf. Woods and his son, Charlie, played golf with Trump on Sunday in Florida before the president flew to New Orleans for the Super Bowl.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
On Monday, the airport saw nearly 400 cancellations and 375 delays.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2025
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William Byron won the Daytona 500, which was a marathon on Sunday night, after rain delays and yellow caution flags ultimately led to some overtime laps.—
Scott Thompson,
Fox News,
17 Feb. 2025
Verb
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This partnership is only possible in part because of Toews’ willingness to defer.—
Corey Masisak,
The Denver Post,
9 Feb. 2025
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More teams now prefer to defer, choosing to start with the ball in the second half instead.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
8 Feb. 2025
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 21 Feb. 2025.
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