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

Relevance

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

Getty Images The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Wednesday a program that has been holding down the cost of prescription drug coverage for roughly 25 million Americans will end after this year. — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Son Heung-min, Thomas Müller and others will hold down the fort for MLS instead. — Tom Bogert, New York Times, 28 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

Porter continues to be limited by winter surgery to fix a patellar tendon issue.

— Pete Sampson, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Lee is among a number of California lawmakers who have introduced legislation this year aimed at restricting or limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

— Steve Large, CBS News, 18 Aug. 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

Most visitors are likely to watch from hotels, Nile cruise ships or riverside viewing areas rather than iconic sites such as Karnak Temple or Luxor Temple, where access is likely to be restricted.

— Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Poor and sometimes impassable roads can also make remote areas difficult to reach, while insecurity restricts where health workers can safely operate.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of restrict

Noun

Lake County Forest Preserves holdings are poised to expand with the approval on Wednesday of a bond issue of up to $35 million to fund mostly land purchases.

— Mick Zawislak, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
She is additionally charged with stewarding the museum’s holding of paintings and drawings, including the Fisher Collection, and will work to foster the museum’s audience and community engagement.

— News Desk, Artforum, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of holding

Verb

And given that, and the high state and municipal taxes many households and businesses face, Fazio added, Connecticut should tighten retirement benefits again before extending them next summer.

— Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
One rung below the Championship, League One clubs voted to tighten the salary cost management protocol (SCMP), which has been in operation for several years.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of tighten

Noun

Investors have increasingly scrutinized the chipmaker’s expanding financial ties with major AI customers.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
China, which appointed an ambassador to the Taliban government in December 2023, has deepened its economic ties, with Chinese companies becoming major players in Afghan oil, copper and lithium extraction.

— Kara Fox, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of tie

Browse Nearby Words

holdbacks

hold down

hold-down

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

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

Copy Citation

Synonyms of hold down

verb

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

divulge

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes