HOLD DOWN Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

hold down 1 of 2

verb

Definition of hold down

as in to limit

to set bounds or an upper limit for efforts to hold down taxes keep running up against the legislature's ingrained unwillingness to cut spending

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hold-down

2 of 2

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 down

Verb

Residents of a smallish town outside of the capital Sofia, Gosha and Marina are a childless couple who have held down low-key lucrative positions for some time. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026 In the background of the photograph are canvas tents, ripped in spots, patchworked together, held down by metal stakes and small boulders. — Literary Hub, 14 July 2026

Noun

These hold-down test-firings are typically one of the final milestones in a Starship launch campaign before SpaceX moves the rocket to the launch pad. — ArsTechnica, 19 June 2025 Then, 12 hold-down bolts fired and freed the Delta IV Heavy for its climb into space with a top-secret payload for the US government's spy satellite agency. — Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 9 Apr. 2024 See All Example Sentences for hold down

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold down

Verb

Despite being limited on running backs in the spring, the early returns for Sammis have to be considered positive.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026
Okot applied that advice by limiting unnecessary dribbles and attacking the basket more efficiently.

— Micahya Costen, AJC.com, 28 July 2026

Definition of limit

Noun

Push on it and the load distributes across the whole shell instead of finding the weakest fastener.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 July 2026
The humble fastener has enthralled Chamberlain for years—so much so that a tattoo of a singular button is etched into her upper arm.

— Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 1 Apr. 2026

Definition of fastener

Verb

Think of it as similar to Gemini Notebook, where the AI restricts its training to a huge database of medical studies and provides clickable links to the research used to determine the answer.

— Garth Friesen, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
The new model also challenges an industry belief that leading-edge AI requires heavy spending on data centers and the advanced chips that the US has restricted access to.

— John Liu, CNN Money, 24 July 2026

Definition of restrict

Noun

Monro describes its holdings as a family of 16 regional brands, and that word—regional—is the whole game.

— Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 23 July 2026
Outside ethics groups said the bill leaves intact the very conflicts it is meant to address by allowing lawmakers to keep existing stock holdings.

— Joey Cappelletti, Fortune, 23 July 2026

Definition of holding

Verb

If the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed into the fall, markets may be forced to reprice oil sharply higher as supply tightens.

— Justin Zacks, CNBC, 24 July 2026
As for the joys of the process, the director recalls the thrills of rediscovering his grandfather’s literary work, as well as tightening his relationship with his family, and forming a close bond with the crew.

— Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 24 July 2026

Definition of tighten

Noun

Athens and Jerusalem have steadily strengthened security ties amid evolving geopolitical challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026
Caleb Durbin’s resurgence Durbin’s solo homer into the Green Monster seats with two outs in the eighth inning of a tie game on Monday night sent Fenway into a frenzy.

— Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 24 July 2026

Definition of tie

Noun

In that dual-collar setup, the Ultra handles off-grid GPS and Callback, while the other Fi tracker adds activity, afternoon naps, and behavior tracking.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 July 2026
Olivia Wilde plays the swaggering multidisciplinary artist Erika Tracy, whose portfolio includes a pointillist vulva composed of chewed gum, an audio loop of her own orgasm, and an enormous, Claes Oldenburg-esque sculpture of a spiked fetish collar.

— Holden Seidlitz, New Yorker, 26 July 2026

Definition of collar

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hold down

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“Hold down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20down. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of hold down

verb

noun

Example Sentences

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