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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of holding pattern
When everything is familiar, our brains go into a kind of holding pattern.
—
Janice Kaplan, TIME, 3 Jan. 2025
The bill had been held in a procedural holding pattern until bill sponsor Rep. Ryan Williams, R-Cookeville, motioned to add it to the next available calendar.
—Melissa Brown, The Tennessean, 22 Apr. 2024
One by open-source intelligence analyst MT Anderson said Russian ships, likely the Admiral Gorshkov and Admiral Grigorovich frigates, the Novorossiysk Kilo-class submarine and oiler Vyazma were in a holding pattern five miles west of the port.
—Brendan Cole, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Finding a new job is tough, but employees generally can collect paychecks through this holding pattern.
—Courtenay Brown, Axios, 26 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for holding pattern
Janice Kaplan, TIME, 3 Jan. 2025
The bill had been held in a procedural holding pattern until bill sponsor Rep. Ryan Williams, R-Cookeville, motioned to add it to the next available calendar.
—Melissa Brown, The Tennessean, 22 Apr. 2024
One by open-source intelligence analyst MT Anderson said Russian ships, likely the Admiral Gorshkov and Admiral Grigorovich frigates, the Novorossiysk Kilo-class submarine and oiler Vyazma were in a holding pattern five miles west of the port.
—Brendan Cole, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Finding a new job is tough, but employees generally can collect paychecks through this holding pattern.
—Courtenay Brown, Axios, 26 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for holding pattern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding pattern
Noun
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The suspension, to Maserati’s credit, can be adjusted— through three firmness settings—independently of other performance parameters.—
Lawrence Ulrich,
Robb Report,
4 Mar. 2025
-
The suspension is intended to last as long as negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war play out, officials told the Washington Post. 3.—
Dave Lawler,
Axios,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Although drivers are fully routed around the K Street blocks of the market, drivers are still allowed to proceed east through the intersection of J and 20th streets, where the volume of pedestrians using the crosswalks on J leads to delays for those in cars.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacramento Bee,
2 Mar. 2025
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The loss of institutional knowledge and potential disruption to services such as delays in veterans’ benefits or Social Security processing could undermine public trust in government efficiency.—
Jack Kelly,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
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There are moments when the performers overplay the humor, suspense and moral outrage.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2025
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Check out the trailer above and see series details below. PREVIOUS, Jan. 28: Peacock has slotted Thursday, March 13 for the premiere of Long Bright River, its upcoming suspense thriller series based on Liz Moore’s bestseller, starring and executive produced by Amanda Seyfried.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Businesses are facing five to eight-year wait times to connect to Europe’s ageing and strained electricity grids, experts told CNBC, as the emergence of new areas of demand drives an unprecedented rise in permit requests for power.—
April Roach,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2025
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The new approval process is creating lengthy wait times for agencies to onboard new hires, causing fears that those employees will go unpaid, their work will go undone, and that their personal information might be compromised.—
Quil Lawrence,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
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However, some lily varieties grown in warmer zones will benefit from removing the bulbs from the ground or planter and placing them in cold storage for a time before replanting.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
23 Jan. 2025
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The Biden administration collaborated with private retail chains to build up cold storage and distribution capacity.—
Mark Zachary Taylor,
The Conversation,
15 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Holding pattern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20pattern. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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