holding pattern

noun

1

: the usually oval course flown (as over an airport) by aircraft awaiting clearance especially to land

2

: a state of waiting or suspended activity or progress

Synonyms of holding pattern

• suspension
• suspense
• cold storage

Examples of holding pattern in a Sentence

Our plane was in a holding pattern for almost an hour because of the fog.

repair work on the bridge was in a holding pattern for the duration of the winter

Recent Examples on the Web

The incursions forced Chișinău International Airport to temporarily suspend arrivals and departures Tuesday, sending incoming flights into holding patterns or diverting them to neighboring countries, according to tracking data. — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026

Several flights bound for the capital landed at airports outside Moldova or were forced into holding patterns, according to data from Flightradar24. — Gwladys Fouche, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026

As for Martinez, he is stuck in a holding pattern — there are a few opportunities overseas that have been explored, but nothing too much yet. — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Ariane 6 has made a difference for Europe, but for the rest of the commercial launch industry, a holding pattern remains as Falcon 9 backstops all. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1952, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for holding pattern

• saturn

Kids Definition

holding pattern

noun

1

: the course flown (as over an airport) by an aircraft waiting for permission to land

2

: a state of waiting or suspended activity

the project is in a holding pattern