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
Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 10 June 2025
President Donald Trump’s crusade against the media (in this case CBS News) is holding up the deal despite the fact that Paramount controlling shareholder Shari Redstone and Skydance backer Larry Ellison are longtime Trump supporters.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 10 June 2025
Reuters, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
While the swap of players makes a lot of sense for both teams, the value itself would be the holdup.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Verb
The heated rally came hours after protestors gathered Monday afternoon inside the lobby of Trump Tower, raging against ICE raids, holding up anti-ICE signs and demanding the release of hundreds of immigrants reportedly being held in El Salvador.
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 10 June 2025
President Donald Trump’s crusade against the media (in this case CBS News) is holding up the deal despite the fact that Paramount controlling shareholder Shari Redstone and Skydance backer Larry Ellison are longtime Trump supporters.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 10 June 2025
Noun
Images shared on social media showed road traffic holdups in Bali as a result of the outage and long lines at the airport check-in counters.
—Reuters, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
While the swap of players makes a lot of sense for both teams, the value itself would be the holdup.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
-
After a short discussion between the clubs and Major League Baseball, the game was postponed.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2025
-
The Division 1 softball game between Poway and Ayala was postponed because of rain.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2025
Verb
-
On September 2, Border Force officers had stopped two women at London Stansted Airport.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
-
This move did not stop at regulation but was backed by public education campaigns and investment in local businesses producing biodegradable alternatives.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
Keep clear of puddles - Driving through puddles or low rainwater areas can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2025
-
Hundreds of law enforcement officers at the local, state and federal level spent nearly two weeks searching for Hardin, using dogs, drones and aircraft, at times hampered by severe weather.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
Verb
-
Her child survived and, for a short while, reigned as king.—
Erica Stern
June 9,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2025
-
The uphill battle against the powerful gun lobby survived an appeals court challenge, but last week the U.S. Supreme Court threw out Mexico’s lawsuit, ruling unanimously that federal law shields gunmakers from nearly all liability.—
Patrick J. McDonnell,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
Verb
-
Smoke remains visible in some interior areas of the burn.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2025
-
Only three players remained under par, the fewest in seven years at the U.S. Open.—
Doug Ferguson,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2025
Verb
-
In a slight twist on the usual, the chefs not only get to choose their own sous-chefs, but only those sous-chefs have been flown to Italy for the occasion.—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
13 June 2025
-
Fifty aircraft including combat helicopters will fly overhead.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
After a brief rain delay in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Hurricanes again couldn’t string together any hits to cut into the Cardinals’ lead.—
Cameron Priester,
Sun Sentinel,
7 June 2025
-
The fragile state of the system became glaringly obvious during the recent radar and communication outages that led to hundreds of delays and cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.—
Joel Rose,
NPR,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
Some lawmakers want to defer capital gains taxes for mutual fund investors The average 401(k) savings rate hit a record high.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
7 June 2025
-
Ronaldo, 39, played for the Italian club between 2018 and 2021 with the back payment related to his agreement with Juventus to defer part of his wages during the Covid pandemic.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share