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
Katie Akin, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
These have been fan favorites for years and our expert Tim Gideon’s review called out the audiophile-grade sound that still holds up.
—Juhi Wadia July 11, PC Magazine, 11 July 2025
Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2025
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s questions about what the holdup could be, given that other nominations, like that of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, were pushed through within five days of Trump entering the Oval Office.
—Caitlin McFall, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Verb
But Sleepy Ride has held up to many intercontinental flights and made my experiences therein much more tolerable.
—Katie Akin, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
These have been fan favorites for years and our expert Tim Gideon’s review called out the audiophile-grade sound that still holds up.
—Juhi Wadia July 11, PC Magazine, 11 July 2025
Noun
The holdup involves the Federal Communication Commission’s refusal to transfer Paramount’s broadcast licenses.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2025
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s questions about what the holdup could be, given that other nominations, like that of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, were pushed through within five days of Trump entering the Oval Office.
—Caitlin McFall, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
-
Residents should consider postponing or rescheduling outdoor activities, and follow the same precautionary steps, like, drinking plenty of water and taking breaks indoors or under shade.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
23 July 2025
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That includes Rosado’s tiebreaker vote in favor of postponing the upcoming November election to 2026 — a measure backed by the mayor — as well as Rosado’s vote to shutter the Bayfront Park Management Trust in January of next year.—
Tess Riski
July 21,
Miami Herald,
21 July 2025
Verb
-
Shortly after Braun’s executive order, the Indiana Department of Health told local health departments to stop accepting requests to change genders on birth certificates.—
Marissa Meador,
IndyStar,
24 July 2025
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Break it up by stopping at the St. Regis Travel Center in St. Regis, Montana, for a huckleberry milkshake.—
Sal Vaglica,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
Verb
-
One of the central concerns is whether Trump administration cuts to the National Weather Service — the backbone of the country’s weather warning system — will hamper local governments and residents from staving off disaster when severe weather strikes.—
William Tong,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
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Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT
Updated July 14,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Last week, during Tropical Storm Chantal, Sarah remembered a news story from Helene in which a man had managed to reach his kayak and survive the flooding, saving more than ten people in the process.—
Jessica Pishko,
New Yorker,
15 July 2025
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SpaceX has shifted permanently Pacific Ocean spacecraft recoveries to avoid possible instances of pieces of Dragon's trunk surviving atmospheric reentry and crashing back to Earth, which were reported during some Atlantic Ocean and Gulf returns.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
15 July 2025
Verb
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This offseason, Diggs remains in recovery after dealing with knee concerns last season.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 July 2025
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As Inter Miami looks to turn the page Saturday night on one of its ugliest losses of the season, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez remained in their starting lineup against the New York Red Bulls at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, N.J.—
Andre Fernandez,
Miami Herald,
20 July 2025
Verb
-
Where will flags be at half-staff in Wisconsin? Per Evers' executive order, American flag and the Wisconsin state flag fly half-staff at all buildings, grounds and military installations belonging to the state of Wisconsin.—
Cailey Gleeson,
jsonline.com,
19 July 2025
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The group was exchanged for more than 250 Venezuelans deported from the U.S. and flown in March to El Salvador's high-security prison.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025
Noun
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How tariff news fuels some scams The Better Business Bureau warned earlier this summer that some scammers are using fake excuses involving delays caused by tariffs to cover up fraudulent online orders.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
24 July 2025
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Cannabis Advocates Call For Rescheduling Marijuana Following Cole’s confirmation, cannabis industry organizations and executives were quick to call on the new DEA head to approve the proposal to reschedule cannabis, which has been put on hold since January because of procedural delays.—
A.J. Herrington,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
Non-grantor trusts may also be used to defer or avoid state income tax.—
Martin Shenkman,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
For example, someone who falls behind on the bills because of job loss would no longer qualify to defer student loan payments, Bañez said.—
Anne Marie D. Lee,
CBS News,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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