1
as in to postpone
to assign to a later time
held up mail delivery until we had a permanent address
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold up
Alma Solís, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025
The initial justification for Canadian tariffs was fentanyl, but that doesn't seem to hold up.
—Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025
The arrival of Lana itself was delayed by a few hours, for which Punch claimed responsibility without sharing any specific details about what caused the holdup.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Verb
Some of the migrants held in the hotel had held up handmade signs in their windows, asking for help.
—Alma Solís, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025
The initial justification for Canadian tariffs was fentanyl, but that doesn't seem to hold up.
—Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
Noun
That the holdup in the case was the statute of limitations fits into a growing pattern within the legal landscape.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025
The arrival of Lana itself was delayed by a few hours, for which Punch claimed responsibility without sharing any specific details about what caused the holdup.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
-
Fieldwork was regularly being reduced in scope or postponed, sometimes for years.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
28 Feb. 2025
-
The health department postponed a meeting of advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines last week to allow for more public comment.—
Mariam Sunny and Michael Erman,
USA TODAY,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
That hasn't stopped the Trump administration from making some bold claims.—
Joel Rose,
NPR,
1 Mar. 2025
-
The deputy had stopped Huttle, 42, of Hobart for driving 70 mph in a 55 mph zone.—
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports,
arkansasonline.com,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Keep clear of puddles - Driving through puddles or low rainwater areas can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacramento Bee,
6 Mar. 2025
-
This complexity hampers everything from vulnerability triage to compliance audits, ironically undermining the very protections these tools promise.—
Aviv Mussinger,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Mogen, Kernodle, Goncalves and two other women who survived lived at the off-campus home on Kings Road.—
Phil Helsel,
NBC News,
7 Mar. 2025
-
To survive, companies must be: Agile Fast-moving Decentralized in decision-making This means pushing power away from the center and toward the front lines—empowering middle managers and frontline employees to think creatively and act decisively.—
Greg Orme,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
No arrests have been made in Biggie's murder, authorities are still searching for his killers today and the rapper's death remains one of the most infamous unsolved murders in music history.—
Skyler Trepel,
People.com,
9 Mar. 2025
-
Gray de Sanders hit 1-of-2 free throws with 5 seconds remaining and DP’s Kendall Perry missed a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer.—
Chris Hays,
Orlando Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
But when the goodbyes were over, Norris got a plane and flew down to meet the Sabres in South Florida.—
Matthew Fairburn,
The Athletic,
9 Mar. 2025
-
Ramsey flies more than 400,000 miles per year and has traveled to all 7 continents, 50 U.S. states and 173 of the United Nations countries.—
Ramsey Qubein,
Forbes,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
During red-eye flights, four-hour delays, freezing plane cabins, or those moments when the plane gets stuffy, these pants have never let me down in any temperature or circumstance.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
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
Verb
-
Criticism of the Dodgers deferring money, or delaying paying players much of their salary until after their contract with the team ends, first began in 2023.—
Russell Leung,
CNBC,
1 Mar. 2025
-
The designer deferred an interview request until a later date.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
WWD,
27 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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