as in survived
to continue to operate or to meet one's needs
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
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Recent Examples of held out
The actor then approaches the crowd to sign various items held out in front of him.
—
Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II handled most of Miami’s tailback workload while Achane was held out.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 19 May 2026
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo was held out of the race, leaving a wide-open field of 14 horses to contest the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, which was held at Laurel Park this year because Pimlico in Baltimore is being rebuilt.
—Noah Trister, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Christie held out his hand to Springsteen like other fans, but the 76-year-old musician didn't seem to acknowledge the Republican politician.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Chisholm, however, went 1-for-3 with a double on Wednesday after being held out of the starting lineup on Tuesday.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
Val held out her hand for the pencil.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
When the time came for Gaff to try a new flavor, one colleague held out a small dish, Logothetti said.
—Nina Giraldo, CNN Money, 10 May 2026
If things continue to progress at the current pace, there’s hope that Hammond, who was cleared to throw in March but held out of spring practice, could be ready for Week 1, according to a source briefed on his recovery.
—Manny Navarro, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II handled most of Miami’s tailback workload while Achane was held out.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 19 May 2026
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo was held out of the race, leaving a wide-open field of 14 horses to contest the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, which was held at Laurel Park this year because Pimlico in Baltimore is being rebuilt.
—Noah Trister, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Christie held out his hand to Springsteen like other fans, but the 76-year-old musician didn't seem to acknowledge the Republican politician.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Chisholm, however, went 1-for-3 with a double on Wednesday after being held out of the starting lineup on Tuesday.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
Val held out her hand for the pencil.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
When the time came for Gaff to try a new flavor, one colleague held out a small dish, Logothetti said.
—Nina Giraldo, CNN Money, 10 May 2026
If things continue to progress at the current pace, there’s hope that Hammond, who was cleared to throw in March but held out of spring practice, could be ready for Week 1, according to a source briefed on his recovery.
—Manny Navarro, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for held out
Verb
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The teen survived and is recovering from his injuries, authorities said.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
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Originally founded in 1881 by the Harvey brothers, the distillery survived wars, economic downturns, and multiple closures before shutting down entirely in 1994.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
On Thursday, the school promoted offensive coordinator Anthony Vizakis to take over the coveted role, ending a search that lasted about six weeks.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
-
The struggle between the federal agent and the two men lasted about 12 seconds, contradicting the agent’s account that he was engaged in a struggle for about three minutes before the shooting.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Others, like Franklin, wished for a new kind of empire, one in which justice prevailed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
-
Not everyone was thrilled with Dior’s introduction of full skirts that required yards of fabric, in stark contrast to the practical styles that prevailed during World War II, when fabric rationing forced hemlines to rise.—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Held out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/held%20out. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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