as in to limit
to set bounds or an upper limit for
efforts to hold down taxes keep running up against the legislature's ingrained unwillingness to cut spending
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fastener
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold down
Tim Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
The Fed was trying to hold down long-term interest rates by buying $667 billion of long-term bonds and selling short-term ones.
—Brandon Kochkodin, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 9 Apr. 2024
If the hold-down clamp is not tightened properly, the battery could move, allowing the positive terminal to contact the clamp and short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire, the company said.
—CBS News, 1 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for hold down
Verb
The 1984-85 Cleveland Cavaliers got into the playoffs despite spending more than three months of that season holding down last place in the Eastern Conference.
—Tim Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
The Fed was trying to hold down long-term interest rates by buying $667 billion of long-term bonds and selling short-term ones.
—Brandon Kochkodin, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
Then, 12 hold-down bolts fired and freed the Delta IV Heavy for its climb into space with a top-secret payload for the US government's spy satellite agency.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 9 Apr. 2024
If the hold-down clamp is not tightened properly, the battery could move, allowing the positive terminal to contact the clamp and short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire, the company said.
—CBS News, 1 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for hold down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold down
Verb
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That restriction has limited what microscopic devices can do.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
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Expanding Your Definition of Value Fixating solely on salary limits your negotiating power.—
Kwame Christian Esq,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The bodyguard choker is a stylish accessory made of faux leather featuring the lady Bey charm and adjustable buckle fastener for a personalized fit.—
Caché McClay,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
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Born in Grosse Point, Michigan, Stevens’ father was an architect and his mother was a math teacher whose family had started a sizable fastener business in the auto industry in the early 1900s.—
Will Yakowicz,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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State officials who are defendants in the lawsuit denied restricting the detainees' access to their attorneys and said any protocols were in place for security reasons and to make sure there was sufficient staffing.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
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From the 1960s through the late 1980s, the Motion Picture Law severely restricted what South Korean filmmakers could produce, while simultaneously limiting the import of foreign films.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The price of the yellow metal has soared as investors have sought a safe-haven asset amid rising geopolitical tensions and as central banks around the world have bought large amounts of gold in an attempt to diversify their dollar-heavy reserve holdings.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
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The New Deal Art Program The off-loading of the Cohen building is part of a General Services Administration (GSA) accelerated disposal program that aims to pare the federal government’s real estate holdings and cut maintenance costs.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Denmark will also tighten controls on foreigners without legal residence, introduce a new anklet monitor for criminal foreigners, reopen an embassy in Syria and strengthen cooperation with authorities in Afghanistan.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
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The holy grail skin care find is formulated to firm and tighten your skin, improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Ankara has long regarded the SDF as a terror group because of its ties to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, a Kurdish separatist group that waged a longrunning insurgency in Turkey.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
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Beijing has spent decades growing its trade ties and bankrolling projects in the region, to boost transportation links and cut energy costs – cementing its own influence along the way.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The knee-length coat was cut with a straight silhouette and featured a collar and concealed placket, and finished with circular mirror insets stitched across the front and sleeves.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
31 Jan. 2026
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It’s designed with a drop-shoulder collar, thumb holes, and subtle side pockets.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hold down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20down. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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