hold-down

1 of 2

noun

ˈhōl(d)-ˌdau̇n 

1

: something used to fasten an object in place

2

a

: an act of holding down

b

: limit

agreed to wage-rate hold-downs

hold down

2 of 2

verb

held down; holding down; holds down

transitive verb

1

: to keep within limits

hold the noise down

2

: to assume or have responsibility for

holding down two jobs

Synonyms

Verb

• limit
• restrict
• tighten

Examples of hold-down in a Sentence

Verb

efforts to hold down taxes keep running up against the legislature's ingrained unwillingness to cut spending

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

These hold-down test-firings are typically one of the final milestones in a Starship launch campaign before SpaceX moves the rocket to the launch pad. —ArsTechnica, 19 June 2025

Then, 12 hold-down bolts fired and freed the Delta IV Heavy for its climb into space with a top-secret payload for the US government's spy satellite agency. —Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 9 Apr. 2024

Verb

His challenge was to move the economy from a wartime footing to one that could produce new jobs—while holding down the inflation that many economists predicted. —Robert Hormats, Time, 3 July 2025

Future social worker Jamie Newton attended with her beyond-proud grandmother, Pat McCollough, who raised Jamie and her two siblings while holding down a demanding job. —News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1888, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hold-down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown