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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6
as in to fly
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
an argument that won't hold up in court
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as in delay
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
a holdup in construction due to the weather
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold up
Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025
Metal desks are durable and hold up to considerable wear and tear.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
Emily Brooks, The Hill, 4 Sep. 2025
So, what's the Rockets' holdup?
—Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Verb
Falcone said the floors could hold up to 30 suites apiece.
—Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025
Metal desks are durable and hold up to considerable wear and tear.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
Roy indicated there was progress in assessing leadership’s plan on how to handle spending after conversations on the House floor during the holdup.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 4 Sep. 2025
So, what's the Rockets' holdup?
—Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
-
Trump nominated him in May to lead the office of special counsel, but his appointment was postponed.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The Lysons are fighting the charges, have asked for a jury trial and the case was recently postponed until December.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Wearing a floor-length brown double-breasted coat featuring buttons that stopped at her waist, the attire created a sultry thigh-high slit that allowed Jolie's leg to peek through.—
Nicholas Rice,
PEOPLE,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Studies in animals and reports from people show that the side effects of this drug can continue even after someone stops taking it.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Oct. 2025
-
With injuries and inconsistency hampering the wide receiver corps, the Commanders are set to host former Tennessee Titans first-round draft pick Treylon Burks.—
Josh Buckhalter,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
France’s government survived a no-confidence vote in Parliament on Thursday by a thin margin, giving the country a brief respite from intense political turmoil before what is expected to be another brutal battle over its budget.—
Aurelien Breeden,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The heavily scarred accident survivor is taking physical therapy for her leg wounds months after surviving the Season 1 finale crash.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Razorbacks forced a punt and Green threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to O’Mega Blake with 2 seconds remaining to cut Texas A&M’s lead to 21-20 at halftime.—
Matt Jones,
Arkansas Online,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Interim coaches typically have an uphill battle to remain the head coach long-term.—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The 2023 Texas Rangers lost here on the final day of the regular season, which forced them to fly across the country and start the playoffs on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays.—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Following a medical evaluation, Alaska Airlines said its crew was cleared to fly, and the aircraft continued on after a 90-minute delay.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Some firms have scurried to ship early, but even a few days’ delay at sea could blow up their margins.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Amex travel protections vary by card type, but prominent features include trip delay and cancellation insurance, baggage protection, global assistance hotlines, and car rental loss coverage.—
Ben Kelly,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Any doubts about the team’s decision should be deferred after what Williams put on display against the Commanders.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Oct. 2025
-
But Ohtani did, showing everyone why the Dodgers were willing to pay him $700 million over 10 years, with $680 million of that money deferred.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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