holdup

noun

hold·up | \ ˈhōld-ˌəp

Definition of holdup

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : delay

2 : a robbery carried out at gunpoint

hold up

verb

Definition of hold up (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to rob at gunpoint

2 : delay, impede

3 : to call attention to : single out his work was held up to ridicule hold this up as perfection —The 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

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about holdup

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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: Noun

Based on court records, Medei’s mental health is the major holdup. — Rafael Olmeda, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Nine years later, no trial date for Hollywood ex-boxer who killed wife and stepson," 22 June 2018 Two men are charged in connection with the holdup, and a woman is charged for lying to police after the crime, said Trussville police Sgt. — Carol Robinson, AL.com, "2 teens injured - one critically - in predawn 'suspicious' fire," 22 Mar. 2018 For more on that—and on the reasons for the holdup—read the rest of this article here. — Robert Hackett, Fortune, "The Ledger: Is New York's BitLicense an 'Absolute Failure?'," 25 May 2018 The holdup happened on March 7, according to court records. — Christine Dempsey, courant.com, "Lured To Newington Motel By Backpage.com Ad, Victim Robbed At Knifepoint, Police Say," 13 July 2018 Now, there are still some financial holdups for venture capital firms seeking to capitalize on this bonanza. — Theodore Schleifer, Recode, "What’s so wrong with Silicon Valley investing in sin?," 9 July 2018 The four men rented a room in a North Talbot Street rooming house and honed their skills on filling station and grocery store holdups. — Dawn Mitchell, Indianapolis Star, "'Kill-Crazy' Brady gang tried to out-gangster John Dillinger," 29 June 2018 Nursing home administrators are perplexed by the holdup. — Washington Post, "APNewsBreak: Illinois on hook for $300M in nursing care," 28 June 2018 The time a robber walked in the door and announced a holdup, got met with tipsy laughter, and sulked away with nothing. — John Carlisle, Detroit Free Press, "Tavern always on the rocks serves nostalgia with a twist," 18 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

With Takeda’s shareholders responding negatively, sending the company’s stock price down 7%, the question then was whether the preliminary agreement would hold up. — David Meyer, Fortune, "Takeda Finally Inks a Deal to Buy Shire in One of the Biggest Pharma Takeovers Ever," 8 May 2018 The Venus de Milo, an ancient Greek statue of the goddess Aphrodite, has long been held up as a standard of awe-inducing beauty. — Cady Lang, Time, "Art History Experts Explain the Meaning of the Art in Beyoncé and Jay Z's 'Apesh-t' Video," 16 June 2018 And thanks to a bang-up job by the Milwaukee Brewers' grounds crew, the pitch held up beautifully for Pachuca's 3-1 victory. — Ben Steele, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "C.F. Pachuca beats Club Leon in third-ever friendly at Miller Park," 11 July 2018 That is when there was a Supreme Court justice being held up. — NBC News, "Meet the Press - July 1, 2018," 1 July 2018 Whether that will hold up in a court of law remains to be seen. — Alex Shephard, The New Republic, "Wilbur Ross’s Financial Shenanigans Should Be a Massive Scandal," 22 June 2018 With that mind-set, in 2015 Collett partnered with nine colleagues to perform the most sensitive experiment yet to test whether Einstein’s famed theory holds up at the scale of an entire galaxy. — Maya Miller, Scientific American, "Einstein’s Greatest Theory Validated on a Galactic Scale," 22 June 2018 In several cities, including Paris and San Francisco, weekday trips have held up better than weekend trips, hinting that people are dropping unnecessary outings. — The Economist, "Public transport is in decline in many wealthy cities," 21 June 2018 His presence would take some responsibility away from Donovan Mitchell and enable the Jazz to try different looks in the backcourt, provided Melton’s improved three-point stroke holds up. — Jeremy Woo, SI.com, "2018 NBA Mock Draft 10.0: Breaking Down Picks, Prospects and Possibilities as Draft Approaches," 19 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'holdup.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.