1
as in delay
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
there'll be a holdback on production until the new machinery is fully installed
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the only holdback to starting the new job is my contractual commitment to my current position
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to hamper
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
the only thing holding them back from joining the swim team is lack of transportation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stifle
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
held back her tears until she was alone
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of holdback
Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
If the house is not sold after 180 days, the company retains what remains of the 30% holdback.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
ABC News, 10 June 2026
Investor concerns about paths to exit and recouping capital have long held back private capital inflows in Africa, but a growing market for secondaries is aiming to spur more investment.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for holdback
Noun
Add curtain holdbacks with playful animal details, or top your door hinges with decorative hinge caps for a knowing wink of whimsy.
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
If the house is not sold after 180 days, the company retains what remains of the 30% holdback.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
In addition to tickets given back to FIFA, the governing body holds back seats.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
Investor concerns about paths to exit and recouping capital have long held back private capital inflows in Africa, but a growing market for secondaries is aiming to spur more investment.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for holdback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holdback
Noun
-
Caguas Mayor William Miranda Torres said that a bottleneck of pending projects is driving up costs, which in turn causes more delays.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
-
That gap is where signal blindness, misalignment, bottlenecks, execution delays and weak learning loops quietly convert external change into our fragilities.—
Christopher Washington,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Autonomy in this case involves being able to reach destinations by using camera images to navigate around obstacles such as craters and pits without the involvement of mission control.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
13 June 2026
-
Despite the obstacles, anticipation has been building across the capital.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Trump has often alleged rampant voter fraud that has hampered Republicans’ success, and his base has largely accepted these sentiments to be true, despite no evidence backing up his accusations.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
-
Covid pandemic-era border closures hampered exchange between the two sides and later, Pyongyang grew closer to Moscow, deploying what are believed to be thousands of soldiers to aid Russia’s war against Ukraine.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
The knockout stage is where the stakes get higher and the pressure becomes stifling.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
-
Deficient Integrity leads to scandals like match-fixing, while excessive rigidity can stifle adaptability.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
From a clinical perspective, these shortages have real consequences — long waits, days in an emergency room waiting for a psychiatric bed to open and conditions that worsen while people fall through the cracks.—
Cathryn Nacario,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 June 2026
-
Bogen touted other enhancements promised by enhanced 911, including more efficient call connection (reducing the current four-second wait to one second).—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
The city witnessed Carl Lewis win four Olympic gold medals, cheered Valerie Brisco-Hooks’ historic golden double and watched Edwin Moses extend his 400-meter hurdles unbeaten streak.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
-
The antitrust hurdle cleared by Paramount comes as state attorneys general in California, New York and almost a dozen other states are contemplating an antitrust suit to put the brakes on what would become a mega-studio.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Ukraine is rapidly producing cheap drones that impede Russia’s advances.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
-
Another worker who protested the raid was sentenced to 22 months in prison for using a rock to assault and impede a federal officer.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The program is a half-day, in-depth course to educate attendees on the principles used by firefighters in suppressing wildland fire and protecting structures in the Wildland Urban Interface, said workshop organizers.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 June 2026
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Rather than suppress his value, that could make Clarke and agent Randy Robitaille more inclined to hunker down in negotiations.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holdback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holdback. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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