as in limited
to set bounds or an upper limit for
efforts to hold down taxes keep running up against the legislature's ingrained unwillingness to cut spending
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Recent Examples of held down
Those potentially experiencing a seizure should never be held down due to the risk of further injury, the CDC notes.
—
Shafiq Najib,
ABC News,
24 June 2026
Rushing, the club’s former top prospect, has held down the everyday duties for much of Smith’s absence.
—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
Gray held down the fort while the Red Sox lineup continued a season-long trend of wasting opportunities.
—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
Dozens of trucks are fully loaded with garbage covered and held down with tarps.
—
Eleanor Beardsley,
NPR,
27 May 2026
After Caltech, Allen held down a job for only about a year before starting work as a tutor with C2 Education in 2020 and going on to earn a master’s degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills, in 2025.
—
Asra Q. Nomani , Peter D'abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Thieneman slides into the spot that Harrison Smith held down for over a decade.
—
Nick Harris
april 20,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2026
Matt Waldron held down the fort for three months when injuries ravaged the Padres’ starting rotation in 2024.
—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Good art can never be held down!
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
Shafiq Najib,
ABC News,
24 June 2026
Rushing, the club’s former top prospect, has held down the everyday duties for much of Smith’s absence.
—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
Gray held down the fort while the Red Sox lineup continued a season-long trend of wasting opportunities.
—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
Dozens of trucks are fully loaded with garbage covered and held down with tarps.
—
Eleanor Beardsley,
NPR,
27 May 2026
After Caltech, Allen held down a job for only about a year before starting work as a tutor with C2 Education in 2020 and going on to earn a master’s degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills, in 2025.
—
Asra Q. Nomani , Peter D'abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Thieneman slides into the spot that Harrison Smith held down for over a decade.
—
Nick Harris
april 20,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2026
Matt Waldron held down the fort for three months when injuries ravaged the Padres’ starting rotation in 2024.
—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Good art can never be held down!
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for held down
Verb
-
In Wyoming, snowfall is expected to be limited mainly to higher elevations, with most mountain areas forecast to pick up around 4 to 6 inches in the same timeframe.
-
The South Africans looked dangerous on the counterattack, creating multiple chances, though their shots in the opening minutes were limited to long-range strikes that barely troubled the Canadians.
Verb
-
Assembly Bill 46, carried by Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen, D-Elk Grove, removes a legal standard that restricted courts’ ability to deny diversion.
-
The four players on the Heat’s season-ending 15-man standard roster set to enter free agency this summer are Norman Powell (unrestricted free agent), Simone Fontecchio (unrestricted free agent), Jahmir Young (unrestricted free agent) and Johnson (restricted free agent).
Cite this Entry
“Held down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/held%20down. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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