1
as in to postpone
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 to stop
to bring (something) to a standstill
traffic was held up for miles by the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to hamper
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to survive
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to remain
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to fly
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
an argument that won't hold up in court
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in delay
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
a holdup in construction due to the weather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold up
Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 27 Jan. 2026
Dëmin’s production holds up when stacked against his peers.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 27 Jan. 2026
Wilborn P. Nobles Iii, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
Berlin police worked with local and federal law enforcement to investigate the holdup.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Verb
Stewart held up a sign that read ‘Abolish Ice’ ahead of her game in Unrivaled on Sunday in Miami.
—Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 27 Jan. 2026
Dëmin’s production holds up when stacked against his peers.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
However, child care providers and early education advocates said educators statewide are anxious because any holdup in payments to states could create funding delays for them.
—Wilborn P. Nobles Iii, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
Berlin police worked with local and federal law enforcement to investigate the holdup.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
-
The New Year's Day Evergreen plunge had to be postponed and is now scheduled for March first.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Drugs used to postpone puberty, counseling and meeting with other kids experiencing the same feelings helped tame the turmoil.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Contraceptives acting on spermatogenesis take a few weeks to kick in, and fertility takes a few weeks to return when a man stops using them.—
Ana Castelain,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
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Either way, Mahomes’ reaction, and reportedly Belichick’s, doesn’t stop there.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Although weather conditions in Charlotte improved Monday, the aftermath of the storm continued to hamper travel plans, resulting in an additional 700 cancellations and 465 delays.—
Chase Jordan
January 27,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Read the Story US airlines are still paring back flights as a deep freeze hampers the restart of operations at some major hubs.—
Jordan Erb,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Both pilots survived the crash.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
-
To become Florida law, bills need to survive committee hearings, pass votes in the House and Senate and avoid the governor’s veto pen.—
Ryan Ballogg,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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However, public opinion polling shows support for Alberta independence remains relatively low.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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How to play Over the longer term, Standard Chartered’s Gill said the bank remains bullish on gold and maintains an overweight position relative to a neutral portfolio allocation.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This is like ignoring weather conditions when flying an airplane.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Narcotraffickers have recruited a number of couriers to fly to Miami and other cities to set up phony businesses with corporate bank accounts, authorities say.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Bridgerton season four wisely ditches the blackmail and delays Bridgerton’s indecent proposal.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
30 Jan. 2026
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Originally supposed to fly Sierra Space Dream Chaser test flight, but payload switched to an inert mass simulator because of potential Dream Chaser delays beyond October launch date.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Just as financial advisors recommend deferring enough into a 401(k) plan to benefit from your employer's full matching contribution, there is no reason to pass this free money up.—
Jessica Dickler,Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,
CNBC,
26 Jan. 2026
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Its frequent cost overruns, spending beyond budgets and failure to defer and mitigate spending when possible mean higher rates.—
David S. Lapp,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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