HELD BACK Synonyms: 107 Similar and Opposite Words

held back

verb

past tense of hold back

as in hampered

to create difficulty for the work or activity of the only thing holding them back from joining the swim team is lack of transportation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stifled

to refrain from openly showing or uttering held back her tears until she was alone

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of held back Students with a disability, English learners and those who have been held back twice already would be exempt from third-grade retention. —

Nuria Martinez-Keel, Oklahoma Voice, 20 Feb. 2026 Duaa was also held back for questioning. —

Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026 Trump, projecting his image as a deal-maker during the inaugural meeting, issued a veiled threat to countries that have held back from joining. —

Laura Kelly, The Hill, 19 Feb. 2026 Kim had even held back in her first run. —

Sean Gregory, Time, 13 Feb. 2026 These meetings are usually held back-to-back on the day council is scheduled to vote on the budget, so this amendment would eliminate the need to have two meetings. —

Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Feb. 2026 In the fourth quarter, Hornets coach Charles Lee was tossed from the game and needed to be held back after screaming at officials following a no-call when his player, Grant Williams, collided with Pistons’ Paul Reed. —

Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026 Billed as being in the spirit of Cars and Planes, the story revolves around the titular Tudy, an intrepid young lifeboat who dreams of adventures on the high seas but is held back by her father, the Admiral, who is still haunted by the loss of his wife. —

Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026 Some documents are likely to be held back because of the police investigation. —

Jill Lawless The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 5 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for held back

Verb

Weather conditions and continued fears of another avalanche, have hampered recovery efforts, Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said in a Friday statement.

— Darrell Smith Updated February 20, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Navratil’s efforts to boost performance at the struggling Swiss multinational have been hampered by a major infant formula recall.

— Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026