holdback

1 of 2

noun

hold·​back ˈhōl(d)-ˌbak How to pronounce holdback (audio)
1
: something that retains or restrains
2
a
: the act of holding back
b
: something held back

hold back

2 of 2

verb

held back; holding back; holds back

transitive verb

1
a
: to hinder the progress or achievement of : restrain
b
: to keep from advancing to the next stage, grade, or level
2
: to refrain from revealing or parting with
held back important information

intransitive verb

1
: to keep oneself in check
2
: to refrain from revealing or parting with something

Examples of holdback in a Sentence

Noun there'll be a holdback on production until the new machinery is fully installed the only holdback to starting the new job is my contractual commitment to my current position Verb the only thing holding them back from joining the swim team is lack of transportation held back her tears until she was alone
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The other half of the moneys would be released to the clients' captives within 180 days, less some holdback that would last until the reinsurance policy expired (usually at the end of the year), plus some additional days tacked on for the extended reporting period. Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2024 The best rooms look as though they've been decorated over time, like this one featuring a collection of distressed wood dressers, a metal bed frame, and antique drapery holdbacks. Andrea Crowley, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023 That's because the manufacturer will typically designate a holdback price, or a percentage of the MSRP or invoice. Elizabeth Rivelli, Car and Driver, 3 Feb. 2023 France Télévisions also has first-window exclusivity for the French-language version, with a one-year holdback. Martin Dale, Variety, 11 Jan. 2023 The manufacturer pays the holdback price to the dealership once the dealer sells the vehicle. Elizabeth Rivelli, Car and Driver, 3 Feb. 2023 There is a six-month holdback for the launch of the English-language versions in France. Martin Dale, Variety, 11 Jan. 2023 The reason Cannes doesn’t show Netflix films is simply because of the film law in France, which defines a very long holdback period after a film can move from theatrical release to streaming. Patrick Frater, Variety, 25 Oct. 2022 The Prime Video Original will launch worldwide on the streaming platform and will be available to linear TV and other outlets after a holdback, said Lozano. Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 3 Nov. 2022
Verb
Despite the new options, activists and election researchers have identified practices that may hold back voters. Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 That was meant to counter a spell of deflationary trends where people held back on purchases in hopes of lower prices, which led companies to invest less and to cut back on wages. Yuri Kageyama, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024 Instead of a policy created to even the playing field for a people who had been systematically held back and still faced pervasive discrimination, affirmative action was cast as a program that punished white Americans by giving unfair preferential treatment to Black Americans. Nikole Hannah-Jones, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 The opposite holds true for low-level members of Movement, who are held back, mostly by Meredith, on account of their race or appearance. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2024 More:Could lawmakers' solution to the reading crisis mean your kid is held back? Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 29 Feb. 2024 By the end of last year, 30-year rates flirted with 8%, cooling existing home sales to an annual rate of around 4 million, as more would-be buyers held back. Brian Cheung, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024 This, together with relatively robust jobs data has meant that the Fed is holding back on interest rate cuts for now. Simon Moore, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Although some Afghan video creators have used YouTube’s geo-blocking tools to hold back their most sensitive content inside Afghanistan, Afghan officials now appear to be using VPN to see what is being published outside the country, according to the owner of a major Afghan YouTube channel. Rick Noack, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'holdback.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1535, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of holdback was in 1535

Dictionary Entries Near holdback

Cite this Entry

“Holdback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holdback. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hold back

verb
1
: to make difficult the progress or achievement of
2
: to keep from revealing or giving
held back important information
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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