1
as in postponed
to assign to a later time
held up mail delivery until we had a permanent address
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stopped
to bring (something) to a standstill
traffic was held up for miles by the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in flew
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
an argument that won't hold up in court
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of held up
Specifically, on average, silky sharks spent only about 47 percent of their time inside the Galápagos Marine Reserve, an area often held up as a global gold standard for marine protection.
—
Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The case was held up by top Department of Homeland Security officials as an example of the violence and threats immigration agents were facing from gang members and even international drug cartels.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
It’s been everywhere with her and has held up impressively well, despite constant use.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026
Indeed, their body language and working relationship belies nothing of the boorish, antagonistic dynamic between Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, whose enmity risked lives (as when Cuomo held up a mass Covid vaccine site in New York due to his beef with de Blasio).
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
Next up, Bloom excitedly held up two Christian Dior sweaters.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
Dell also noted the impact of rising memory prices in its results, though its estimates have held up better as the company’s server business sees strong demand amid the AI buildout.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
The latter of those touchdowns was a 26-yard pass to Calvin Austin with 55 seconds remaining — a go-ahead score that held up as the game-winner when Ravens rookie kicker Tyler Loop missed a 44-yard field-goal attempt as time expired.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2026
On a day where Rams fans everywhere were chewing off their own nails, Nacua’s hands held up just fine.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The case was held up by top Department of Homeland Security officials as an example of the violence and threats immigration agents were facing from gang members and even international drug cartels.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
It’s been everywhere with her and has held up impressively well, despite constant use.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026
Indeed, their body language and working relationship belies nothing of the boorish, antagonistic dynamic between Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, whose enmity risked lives (as when Cuomo held up a mass Covid vaccine site in New York due to his beef with de Blasio).
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
Next up, Bloom excitedly held up two Christian Dior sweaters.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
Dell also noted the impact of rising memory prices in its results, though its estimates have held up better as the company’s server business sees strong demand amid the AI buildout.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
The latter of those touchdowns was a 26-yard pass to Calvin Austin with 55 seconds remaining — a go-ahead score that held up as the game-winner when Ravens rookie kicker Tyler Loop missed a 44-yard field-goal attempt as time expired.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2026
On a day where Rams fans everywhere were chewing off their own nails, Nacua’s hands held up just fine.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for held up
Verb
-
Adding onto the wear-and-tear element was that Monday’s game was a back-to-back, one caused by Saturday’s matchup being postponed to Sunday after a federal immigration agent shot and killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday morning.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Games between the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks as well as the Memphis Grizzlies and Denver Nuggets were postponed Sunday as a result of the weather conditions.—
Mike Fore,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ross, who was one of several federal agents involved in the arrest, initially drew his service weapon, but holstered the gun after Muñoz-Guatemala stopped his car and raised his hands, according to the affidavit.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Braddy stopped the car, got Quantisha back inside, and put Shandelle in the trunk, before driving for 30 to 45 minutes.—
Nicole Acosta,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That year, the Port of Baltimore was hampered by the collapse of the Frances Scott Key Bridge.—
Ken Roberts,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Production snags have hampered the comeback bid, a disappointment for investors who anticipated more of a boost from new products.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The 13-year-old victim, who hasn't been publicly identified, survived after being shot in the chest.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Local reports noted that the woman miraculously survived partly because her helmet helped prevent more serious harm.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
He was booked into the jail in July and remained in the jail with a bond set at $50,000, according to court records.—
Lori Dunn,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Traffic concerns remained a prominent theme of the more than 100 emails the city received in early December, but many people expressed excitement at the prospect of a closer Costco.—
Rose Evans
January 8,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Developer Omega Force and publisher Koei Tecmo announced that it has been delayed to an unspecified date.—
George Yang,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
If lawmakers fail to reach a bipartisan compromise on ICE funding, the agency’s annual funding will be delayed.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The last time a male contraceptive drug got that far was in 2011, when a trial of hormonal injections had to be halted over safety concerns.—
Ana Castelain,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Yad Vashem reported that the murder of Vilna’s Jews halted temporarily in 1941.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Concepcion dealt with a speech impediment that hindered his public speaking.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Trump’s ability to increase across-the-board tariffs on goods from South Korea or other countries could be hindered by the outcome of a landmark tariff case currently before the Supreme Court.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Held up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/held%20up. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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