1
as in delay
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
there'll be a holdback on production until the new machinery is fully installed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the only holdback to starting the new job is my contractual commitment to my current position
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to hamper
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stifle
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
held back her tears until she was alone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of holdback
Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
If the house is not sold after 180 days, the company retains what remains of the 30% holdback.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026
Reporting teams have held back on submitting story pitches about important news topics out of fear of the internal repercussions.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for holdback
Noun
Add curtain holdbacks with playful animal details, or top your door hinges with decorative hinge caps for a knowing wink of whimsy.
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
If the house is not sold after 180 days, the company retains what remains of the 30% holdback.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
Test scores are just one data point that may be used in determining if a child should be held back, alongside classroom grades, teacher recommendations and attendance.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026
Reporting teams have held back on submitting story pitches about important news topics out of fear of the internal repercussions.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for holdback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holdback
Noun
-
Sanfilippo is a fatal pediatric neurodegenerative disorder, with each delay in treatment equaling permanent neurological decline.—
Elise Esposito,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
-
Artemis program Due to the Mark 1 issues outlined above, there will either be significant delays to, or the need to restructure the early phases of, the Moon Base program.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
The winner in November will lead the country's most populous state, facing a large deficit and other obstacles, including the state's high cost of living, homelessness and wildfire risk.—
Marisa Lagos,
NPR,
6 June 2026
-
Despite the ongoing ups and downs of the housing market, including economic cycles and affordability obstacles including post-pandemic high interest rates, low inventory, and soaring prices, women – particularly Millennials – have continued to show resiliency.—
Kathy Collins,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Roupp’s night, though, comes with a caveat because the righty was hampered by back discomfort.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
-
Reducing false positives and negatives Real-world conditions such as poor lighting, difficult viewing angles, extreme facial expressions, concealment by face masks or sunglasses, and poor image quality can still hamper performance, leading to faulty identification.—
Vijayan Asari,
The Conversation,
2 June 2026
Verb
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But rights groups have criticized the term as it may be discretionarily applied to a broad swath of activities and could be used to stifle freedoms.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
3 June 2026
-
Micromanagement stifles creativity, motivation, and productivity.—
Maria Ross,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
At busy times there can be a wait for drinks at the Pink Bar, but staff will remember your favourite tipple after a day or two.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
While the average wait time for a kidney in the United States is two to five years, in large states like California, the wait time exceeds five years.—
Gabriel Schnickel,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Budget pressures, construction delays, political concerns, and logistical hurdles have become common features of modern Olympic planning.—
Tim Genske,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
Nvidia is looking to deepen its ties with South Korea as tech supply chains come into focus given the Iran war, and as the company faces rising regulatory hurdles in selling to the mainland Chinese market.—
Justina Lee,Lisa Kim,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
Verb
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This ruling sets a troubling precedent that undermines protections afforded to interstate commerce and impedes site remediation, as well as the safe and effective long-term management of these materials for customers in Michigan and throughout the country.—
Heath Kalb,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
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His attempts to impede the certification of the 2020 election led to him being charged with obstruction of an official proceeding, alongside hundreds of January 6th rioters.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Economists have cautioned that the US-Israeli war with Iran and the related oil and supply shock could suppress hiring activity in the United States.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
-
His puck-moving play was completely suppressed in the offensive zone, too.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holdback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holdback. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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