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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hold up
Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Feb. 2026
With the lights turned off, many in the crowd of 93,103 held up lighters and lit matches in tribute.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Jan. 2026
The rollout of these drone delivery programs has been infrequent due to regulatory holdups regarding the safety of the technology, and the ability for drones to operate in poor weather conditions.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Verb
Colbert then held up the paper to showcase his pretty good Snoopy doodle.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Feb. 2026
With the lights turned off, many in the crowd of 93,103 held up lighters and lit matches in tribute.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026
Noun
In her opinion, the holdups, delays and claim denials point to the city of Fort Worth trying to save money on treatment costs.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Jan. 2026
The rollout of these drone delivery programs has been infrequent due to regulatory holdups regarding the safety of the technology, and the ability for drones to operate in poor weather conditions.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
-
Airlines canceled flights and cultural events were postponed as Cuba endures its worst fuel shortage in years, harming tourism and the broader economy.—
Andrea Rodriguez,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Plano postponed its vote on a vendor Monday when negotiations with DART started looking up.—
Lilly Kersh,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Venezuela - once Cuba's top supplier - effectively stopped sending shipments in mid-December.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The government also stopped collecting and reporting crucial survey findings on transgender students — data that have shown higher rates of depression, drug use, bullying and other problems.—
Mike Stobbe,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
18 Feb. 2026
-
This mounting deficit has hampered planning in San Diego ever since.—
Nico Calavita,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Silverblatt is survived by his sister, Joan Bykofsky.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
-
These very early prehistoric burials in southern England and Wales, because of their northern location, haven’t generally survived due to the glaciers that populated the area during the Ice Age.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales account for 75% of revenue, while the remaining 25% is generated through wholesale.—
Amy Francombe,
Vogue,
20 Feb. 2026
-
But fans remain hopeful, especially as Team USA’s men’s hockey team — which has advanced to the knockout stage — prepares for a critical matchup today that could determine their medal chances.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Eco effort La Sultana Oualidia’s planet-friendly approach prioritizes a dynamic impact on its local environment without ever feeling showy, and many of their most meaningful initiatives may fly under the radar even for guests.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Feb. 2026
-
City facilities were lit in blue and red overnight, the city's flag will fly at half-staff all day and three wreaths will be on display at City Hall for 24 hours.—
Anthony Bettin,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The agency has struggled to meet federal and state deadlines, with over one-third of cash assistance cases still facing delays as of late 2024 and throughout 2025.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Every month of permitting delays or grid interconnection backlogs is a month where investment risks flowing elsewhere.—
Stuart Loren,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Significant portions of the one-year contracts Michael King and Elias Díaz played under in 2024 were deferred via buyouts on a mutual option.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Asked what’s next on the agenda, the rapper-designer-actor deferred his answer to a higher power.—
Kristen Tauer,
Footwear News,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
