hold·out
ˈhōld-ˌau̇t 
held out; holding out; holds out
1
: to remain unsubdued or unyielding
… where 30 of the … refugees were still holding out.—
Anna Tomforde
Anna Tomforde
also
: to continue to function or be available : last entry 1
prayed that the engine would hold out
as long as our money holds out
2
: to refuse to go along with others in a concerted action or to come to an agreement
holding out for a shorter workweek
Examples of holdout in a Sentence
Noun
He says he might be a holdout at the start of the next season if the team doesn't agree to pay him more.
He is expected to end his three-week holdout and join the team tomorrow.
A few holdouts still use typewriters, but nearly everybody uses computers now.
Verb
we hoped our supply of firewood would hold out until power was restored
luckily, the old outboard motor held out till we made it to shore
Recent Examples on the Web
Rebecca Schneid, Time, 26 Nov. 2025
Jones is often a bit tough to deal with when discussing contract issues, which is what led to a long holdout from Lamb, so this could be a similar situation.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Ukraine, meanwhile, has held out for security guarantees from the West, so that any end to the fighting would be durable, and not merely a pause that leaves the country in a perpetual state of vulnerability, awaiting the next invasion.
—Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for holdout
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Noun
The city, which was seen as the last holdout in Darfur of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), fell to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in late October.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 26 Nov. 2025
Jones is often a bit tough to deal with when discussing contract issues, which is what led to a long holdout from Lamb, so this could be a similar situation.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
Verb
Fans can always hold out hope, but there doesn't seem to be an optimistic outlook at all for Wyatt.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Ukraine, meanwhile, has held out for security guarantees from the West, so that any end to the fighting would be durable, and not merely a pause that leaves the country in a perpetual state of vulnerability, awaiting the next invasion.
—Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for holdout
Cite this Entry
“Holdout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holdout. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.
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