Synonyms of held up

held up

verb

past tense of hold up

1

as in postponed

to assign to a later time

held up mail delivery until we had a permanent address

Synonyms & Similar Words

• postponed
• delayed
• deferred
• laid over
• held over
• held off (on)
• put off
• put over
• remitted
• suspended
• shelved
• stretched (out)
• paused
• hesitated
• stayed
• waited
• slowed
• retarded
• prolonged
• lengthened
• detained
• extended
• protracted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• worked (on)
• decided (upon)
• did
• dealt (with)
• acted

2

as in stopped

to bring (something) to a standstill

traffic was held up for miles by the accident

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stopped
• halted
• stalled
• caught
• brought up
• arrested
• stayed
• pulled up
• drew up
• checked
• blocked
• held back
• fetched up
• hindered
• stilled
• suspended
• held
• impeded
• obstructed
• stemmed
• ended
• concluded
• cut off
• baffled
• snagged
• balked
• detained
• clogged
• turned back
• terminated
• dammed
• blockaded
• suppressed
• reined (in)
• discontinued
• called
• repressed
• bottlenecked
• stunted
• squashed
• choked off
• squelched
• stanched

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• kept (on)
• carried on
• continued
• kept up
• persisted
• went along
• moved
• proceeded
• ran on
• advanced
• marched
• progressed
• pushed
• followed through (with)
• fared
• drove
• stirred
• propelled
• spurred
• actuated
• impelled
• wended
• goaded
• budged

3

as in hampered

to create difficulty for the work or activity of

if lack of transportation is the only thing holding you up, I can give you a ride

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hampered
• hindered
• impeded
• embarrassed
• obstructed
• held back
• handicapped
• tied up
• interfered (with)
• inhibited
• delayed
• stymied
• cramped
• blocked
• trammeled
• encumbered
• clogged
• hobbled
• disrupted
• handcuffed
• shackled
• gave a hard time
• short-circuited
• restrained
• manacled
• constrained
• tied
• fettered
• hog-tied
• bound
• thwarted
• frustrated
• cramped one's style
• balked
• retained
• checked
• retarded
• reined
• stifled
• tethered
• curbed
• arrested
• bogged (down)
• braked
• baffled
• leashed
• chained
• choked
• confined
• barricaded
• strangled
• haltered
• mired
• derailed
• hedged (in)
• blockaded
• foiled
• stumped
• sabotaged
• hemmed (in)
• roadblocked
• smothered
• repressed
• suffocated
• muzzled
• suppressed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• helped
• assisted
• opened
• facilitated
• aided
• released
• cleared
• liberated
• made way
• freed
• promoted
• encouraged
• untied
• unplugged
• smoothed
• loosened
• unstopped
• unclogged
• furthered

4

as in survived

to continue to operate or to meet one's needs

the air conditioner held up this year, but it's not going to make it through another summer

Synonyms & Similar Words

• survived
• lasted
• prevailed
• held out
• kept up
• remained
• persisted
• continued
• went
• carried on
• made out
• hung in
• held on
• got on
• managed
• got along
• endured
• drew out
• stretched
• persevered
• got by
• hung on
• coped
• lingered
• ran on
• fared
• bore up
• abided

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• went out
• failed
• gave out
• ran out
• died
• stopped
• petered (out)
• expired
• collapsed
• cut out
• broke
• stalled
• broke down
• crashed
• fizzled
• ran down
• waned
• conked (out)

5

as in remained

to remain indefinitely in existence or in the same state

the storm's hurricane-force winds did not hold up once it hit the coast

Synonyms & Similar Words

• remained
• continued
• lasted
• held on
• persisted
• kept up
• stayed
• perdured
• endured
• ran on
• bode
• lingered
• survived
• prevailed
• stuck around
• abided
• carried through
• tarried

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• died
• passed
• stopped
• finished
• closed
• concluded
• ended
• ceased
• expired
• terminated
• lapsed
• discontinued
• died (down)
• wound up
• left off
• quit
• subsided
• desisted
• abated
• let up
• waned
• moderated
• ebbed

6

as in flew

to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval

an argument that won't hold up in court

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flew
• stood up
• worked
• held water
• passed
• passed muster
• washed
• went over
• played
• went through
• went down
• got through
• took

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of held up

On Thursday, Castellanos repeated her client's arguments that Castillo had a personality disorder and held up Castillo's case as an example of the law failing citizens. —ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026

Low frequencies, which bend around obstacles more easily, held up. —Yook Jihun, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026

That held up as the game-winner when Lockport’s sixth shooter fired wide. —Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026

New sanctions from the European Union, meanwhile, are being held up by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s outrage at the slow pace of repairs on the Druzhba oil pipeline. —Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 19 Mar. 2026

Among them was a young white man in a suit who held up an Indian flag, imitated an Indian accent and extolled the virtues of public defecation. —Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026

It was definitely held up, and so … everybody’s been running around this city trying to figure out what’s going on. —Shelley Nelson, Twin Cities, 18 Mar. 2026

The City Council License Committee was scheduled to vote on the measure on Thursday, but without an explanation the proposal was held up without a debate or vote. —Adam Harrington, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026

The Panthers gave up five grade-A chances in the opening 10 minutes of the game, and Bobrovsky held up. —Jesse Granger, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026