1
: something used to fasten an object in place
2
a
: an act of holding down
b
: limit
agreed to wage-rate hold-downs
held down; holding down; holds down
1
: to keep within limits
hold the noise down
2
: to assume or have responsibility for
holding down two jobs
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
Julie Loffredi, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
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
Pete Sampson, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Zarutska was a white woman who was holding down a job.
—Debra J. Saunders, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold-down
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Noun
Inside, hold-down straps, water-resistant storage, and multiple accessory pockets add to its organized feel.
—Julie Loffredi, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
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
Verb
The biggest concern for Notre Dame is how Carr handles Mike Elko’s defense, considering few coaches are better at holding down an opposing quarterback, regardless of his experience.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Zarutska was a white woman who was holding down a job.
—Debra J. Saunders, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold-down
Cite this Entry
“Hold-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hold-down. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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