1
as in to postpone
to assign to a later time
held up mail delivery until we had a permanent address
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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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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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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold up
Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Jan. 2025
The achievement came after the Senate ran into significant delays and fighting that held up confirmation hearings for several nominees.
—The Hill Staff, The Hill, 2 Jan. 2025
Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
Clearing those music rights for streaming, as Simon noted last year on Twitter, was a key factor in the holdup — as is often the case when a decades-old show goes out of print.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hold up 
Verb
The planter and its chains held up well over the testing period without any issues.
—Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Jan. 2025
The achievement came after the Senate ran into significant delays and fighting that held up confirmation hearings for several nominees.
—The Hill Staff, The Hill, 2 Jan. 2025
Noun
Some productions have decided to set up in Canada, rather than risk a holdup from another possible job action.
—Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
Clearing those music rights for streaming, as Simon noted last year on Twitter, was a key factor in the holdup — as is often the case when a decades-old show goes out of print.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
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The team also had Thursday’s game against Charlotte postponed.Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
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The Critics Choice Awards—slated for Sunday—were postponed due to the fires, the organization told Variety.Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Smoking has been linked to the formation of spider veins, so stop or limit smoking to reduce your risk.Laura Schober, Health, 12 Jan. 2025
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Alhassan unleashed a vicious combination of punches on the Brazilian, who appeared to be moments away from being stopped.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 12 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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Plus, Henry is likely hampered for being too good too consistently for so long that his market simply remains flat.Larry Holder, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The surviving developers are struggling to finish projects and barely taking on new apartment buildings.Keith Bradsher, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
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Almost all of the houses in their cul-de-sac, in west Altadena had survived.Emily Witt, The New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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On a year-on-year basis, pork and fresh vegetable prices remain elevated, climbing 12.5%.Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 9 Jan. 2025
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While the potent winds driving the fires to rapidly escalate were expected to die down by Thursday night, the initial causes of all the blazes remain under investigation.Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
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News network helicopters, on standby at nearby Van Nuys airport, are not permitted to fly near the area.Kimberly Nordyke, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Jan. 2025
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Its reusable first stage is built to fly at least 25 times, the company has said.Tariq Malik, Space.com, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
Verb
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In effect, if not traded within the next month, the trade drama with Butler merely would be deferred until the offseason.Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Jan. 2025
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Mike, though, now faces the harsh reality of a dream deferred.Greg Engle, Forbes, 13 Jan. 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 20 Jan. 2025.
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