1
as in suspension
a state of temporary inactivity
repair work on the bridge was in a holding pattern for the duration of the winter
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2
as in delay
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
the couple has been trapped in this holding pattern for six months, as adoption officials create more red tape
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Recent Examples of holding pattern
So, in early 1962, Merrell and the FDA were still in this weird, familiar holding pattern: waiting for clinical evidence, data that would either exonerate or further implicate thalidomide.
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Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2024
Behind the scenes, Democrats were left in an awkward holding pattern.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 19 July 2024
But first up on the witness stand was John Idol, CEO of Capri Holdings, who made clear the struggling Michael Kors brand and Capri, which is itself in a kind of holding pattern pending the deal’s closure, can’t afford to wait for the case to wind through the legal system.
—Evan Clark, WWD, 9 Sep. 2024
If DeRozan took that, Miami would be just below the second apron and would not be able to re-sign Caleb Martin or Haywood Highsmith, who remain in a holding pattern while both those players and the Heat explore all their options.
—Barry Jackson and, Miami Herald, 2 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for holding pattern 
Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2024
Behind the scenes, Democrats were left in an awkward holding pattern.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 19 July 2024
But first up on the witness stand was John Idol, CEO of Capri Holdings, who made clear the struggling Michael Kors brand and Capri, which is itself in a kind of holding pattern pending the deal’s closure, can’t afford to wait for the case to wind through the legal system.
—Evan Clark, WWD, 9 Sep. 2024
If DeRozan took that, Miami would be just below the second apron and would not be able to re-sign Caleb Martin or Haywood Highsmith, who remain in a holding pattern while both those players and the Heat explore all their options.
—Barry Jackson and, Miami Herald, 2 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for holding pattern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding pattern
Noun
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James, who was serving a one-game suspension in Week 4, is coming off one of his best games of the season.Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
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For 2025, the automaker has taken it up a notch with the new standard suspension in the gas-only B5 and B6 trim levels using Frequency Selective Damping technology.Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 5 Dec. 2024
Noun
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And that means more time, which might make the delay to millions of upgrades more palatable.Zak Doffman, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
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Travel disruptions, such as severe weather, flight delays or cancellations, lost luggage or rental car issues, also contribute to the rising spending costs.Felecia Wellington Radel, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
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In crafting the scene’s suspense, editor Joe Walker mapped out where the action and roar of the crowd would peak.Daron James, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
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What’s At Stake in the West Group B offers the most suspense and the most permutations to determine both the pool winner and the potential West wild card.Jack Magruder, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
Noun
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At least my experience was no login queues, no wait times for matches, no lag, no disconnections.Paul Tassi, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
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The wait is officially over: Pantone’s 2025 Color of the Year is Mocha Mousse, a chocolatey, decadent-yet-cozy brown.Tim Nelson, Architectural Digest, 5 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Why Have There Been So Many Listeria Outbreaks? Darin Detwiler, a food safety adviser and Northeastern University professor, explained to Eater that an increasing reliance on pre-packaged, cold storage items in the food supply is leading to more listeria contamination.Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
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The gold-standard method for preserving organs prior to transplantation is static cold storage, which involves flushing the organ with preservation solution at zero to 4 °C (32–39 °F) before immersing it in preservation solution at the same temperature.New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near holding pattern
Cite this Entry
“Holding pattern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20pattern. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
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