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
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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
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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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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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of holdback
Elizabeth Rivelli, Car and Driver, 3 Feb. 2023
There is a six-month holdback for the launch of the English-language versions in France.
—Martin Dale, Variety, 11 Jan. 2023
Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2025
By turns maddening and heartening, the film reaches a high point when a young trans person visits Zephyr and can’t hold back a tear.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for holdback 
Noun
The manufacturer pays the holdback price to the dealership once the dealer sells the vehicle.
—Elizabeth Rivelli, Car and Driver, 3 Feb. 2023
There is a six-month holdback for the launch of the English-language versions in France.
—Martin Dale, Variety, 11 Jan. 2023
Verb
Yes, all funnel cakes are, but Dollywood doesn't hold back.
—Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2025
By turns maddening and heartening, the film reaches a high point when a young trans person visits Zephyr and can’t hold back a tear.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for holdback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holdback
Noun
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This delay adds to a string of setbacks for New Glenn, which has been in development for a decade.Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025
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Complicating the court’s deliberations is that the nine-member court currently only has eight justices, due to a delay in filling vacancies left by retired justices.Helen Regan, CNN, 13 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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The delay also gives the two sides time to put the lawsuit to rest, which would otherwise hamper any negotiations.Brian Mazique, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The Huskies also kept up their stifling defensive effort through the third quarter, though UConn’s less-experienced lineups struggled to limit St. John’s down the stretch.Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 16 Jan. 2025
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However, many governments still subsidize the harmful status quo and actively stifle innovation.Rose Marcario, TIME, 16 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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Now, the families of the remaining hostages are enduring the same anxious wait, but for them, it's been 468 days.Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Fetterman is a co-sponsor of the Laken Riley Act — an immigration bill aimed at curbing crime by migrants — which cleared its first hurdle toward passage in the Senate last week, when 33 Senate Democrats voted with Republicans in the 84-9 vote Thursday.Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2025
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One persistent hurdle is maintaining staff engagement in a high-turnover industry.Christopher Elliott, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
Verb
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This intergenerational transfer of wealth while providing essential support to parents and grandparents often impedes young adults’ ability to accumulate wealth.Noreen Sugrue, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
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Congress has delegated much of its foreign economic authority to the White House, but the biggest speed bump impeding Trump's ability to impose tariffs on Canada may be a trade deal negotiated under Trump himself: the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Some Korean veterans of that war were also involved in suppressing uprisings such as the one in Gwangju.Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 14 Jan. 2025
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Facebook played a major role in the 2020 election and came under fire from Trump and Republicans for allegedly suppressing conservative voices.Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near holdback
Cite this Entry
“Holdback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holdback. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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