Synonyms of held back

held back

verb

past tense of hold back

1

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

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2

as in stifled

to refrain from openly showing or uttering

held back her tears until she was alone

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stifled
• suppressed
• swallowed
• choked (back)
• contained
• submerged
• repressed
• pocketed
• controlled
• smothered
• managed
• strangled
• sunk
• checked
• sank
• bottled up
• governed
• quashed
• curbed
• quelled
• muffled
• bridled
• squelched

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• took out
• expressed
• released
• unleashed
• vented
• loosed

• took out
• expressed
• released
• unleashed
• vented
• loosed