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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold up
Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
French fans holding up live roosters (le coq gaulois), Scots in kilts, English fans dressed up like King Arthur’s knights—and sometimes in a more brutal fashion.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 4 Feb. 2026
That’s the real holdup with kids Hot Stove Season.
—Caleb Harris, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Verb
Harris, whose confirmation was held up because of the controversy last year, oversaw the Hope Florida Foundation as secretary of the Department of Children and Families in 2024.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
French fans holding up live roosters (le coq gaulois), Scots in kilts, English fans dressed up like King Arthur’s knights—and sometimes in a more brutal fashion.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Noun
Even worse, disaster reimbursement delays, delayed housing repairs, and the holdup of infrastructure rebuilding have fueled anger in the communities that are hardest hit.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 4 Feb. 2026
That’s the real holdup with kids Hot Stove Season.
—Caleb Harris, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
-
Horst has reluctantly postponed Serafini’s sentencing three times in the past several months, because the judge had to first hear testimony and arguments to determine whether to grant Serafini a new trial.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The women’s freeski halfpipe final has been postponed until tomorrow.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The video, shared by the Chino Police Department, shows two vehicles stopping at a red light in front of and behind a big rig on Friday.—
Terry Castleman,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Evan Geyen stopped 20 shots in goal for Delano.—
Andrew Cornelius,
Twin Cities,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Moore was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, playing three years there before a series of injuries hampered his career.—
Dianna Russini,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Six others in the group survived.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
The next few days were torture, with the couple waiting to see if the embryo would survive.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The program currently remains in another legal battle, with people able to renew their status but no new applications accepted.—
Mathew Miranda
February 26,
Sacbee.com,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The military remains Pakistan’s most powerful institution, having solidified its dominance throughout the country’s history with coups and constitutional amendments.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In civil aerospace, for example, Rolls is benefiting as manufacturers Airbus and Boeing struggle to deliver new aircraft at the pace the market requires — obliging airlines to keep flying old planes (and their engines) for longer.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Comfortable headphones are essential for flying these days, but more so for long-haul flights.—
Kristy Alpert,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Fellow passengers were moved and amazed to witness a former president stuck in typical airport delays alongside them.—
Meg Kinnard,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Brock Nelson won the 3-on-5 in his own end, but Brent Burns’ backhanded attempt to clear the puck out of the zone went into the stands for a delay of game.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The case, which remains open, has deferred the determination of Dear's cause of death.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Clark deferred any question about funding to the town and stadium operator.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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