holdup

1 of 2

noun

hold·​up ˈhōld-ˌəp How to pronounce holdup (audio)
variants or hold-up
plural holdups or hold-ups
1
: delay
There was a holdup with my order.
What's the holdup? [=what is the reason for the delay?]
2
: a robbery carried out at gunpoint

hold up

2 of 2

verb

held up; holding up; holds up

transitive verb

1
: to rob at gunpoint
2
3
: to call attention to : single out
his work was held up to ridicule
hold this up as perfectionThe Times Literary Supplement (London)

intransitive verb

: to continue in the same condition without failing or losing effectiveness or force
she's holding up under the strain
music that holds up twenty years later

Examples of holdup in a Sentence

Noun There have been a series of holdups at local banks. a holdup in construction due to the weather Verb held up mail delivery until we had a permanent address traffic was held up for miles by the accident
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Patrick Agyemang got the start at striker and was able to provide good holdup play and off-ball movement, but struggled to threaten Costa Rica’s defense with scoring opportunities. Jeff Rueter, New York Times, 30 June 2025 To help travelers avoid traffic holdups, AAA teamed up with S&P Global Market Intelligence and put together a handy guide laying out the best and worst times to hit the road. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 27 June 2025
Verb
On July 10, air traffic control cleared the Delta Airbus A321, which can hold up to 220 passengers, for takeoff two minutes ahead of schedule at 9:58 a.m., according to live flight tracker site Flight Aware. Hadley Hitson, The Tennessean, 15 July 2025 Jenner even showed off his surfing moves, getting up on top of a board being held up by multiple friends. Rachel McRady, People.com, 14 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for holdup

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1851, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of holdup was in 1837

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Holdup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holdup. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

holdup

1 of 2 noun
hold·​up
1
: a robbery at gunpoint
2

hold up

2 of 2 verb
(ˈ)hōl-ˈdəp
1
2
: to rob at gunpoint
3
: to continue without failing or losing effectiveness
holding up under the stress
music that holds up twenty years later

Legal Definition

holdup

1 of 2 noun
hold·​up
: an attempted or completed robbery carried out with the use of force and especially at gunpoint

hold up

2 of 2 transitive verb
: to make the victim of a holdup : rob at gunpoint

More from Merriam-Webster on holdup

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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