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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Recent Examples of hold up
Bobby Burack Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2026
The two folding chairs are also lightweight, yet sturdy enough to hold up to 350 pounds.
—
Kate Donovan,
Southern Living,
22 June 2026
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
1 May 2026
That gene, called rplW, seems to be the critical holdup.
—
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Verb
The problem is that her history lesson doesn't hold up.
—
Bobby Burack Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2026
The two folding chairs are also lightweight, yet sturdy enough to hold up to 350 pounds.
—
Kate Donovan,
Southern Living,
22 June 2026
Noun
Police have also charged 32-year-old Guardy Roman in connection with two of the holdups reported last fall.
—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
1 May 2026
That gene, called rplW, seems to be the critical holdup.
—
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
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Those talks were set to begin Friday, but were abruptly postponed after a flare up in deadly attacks between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
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Authorities subsequently postponed the exam and also temporarily banned Telegram in India.
Verb
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Chisholm scored on Jose Caballero's RBI groundout in the fourth inning before hitting a two-run homer in the sixth as New York ended a three-game losing streak and stopped Detroit's four-game winning streak.
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Disneyland officials said a cast member immediately stopped the ride.
Verb
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Brown was hampered by a back injury in college, but that wasn’t enough to scare away the Nets.
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Investors are advised to avoid ASA, as its future performance appears hampered by both gold's current stagnation and management issues.
Verb
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Hinkley was killed, and Fox survived with serious injuries in the incident, according to a report from the California Highway Patrol.
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After many of Jaehaerys’ 13 children died, Aemon Targaryen was the first of his children to survive into adulthood and would have been Jaehaerys’ heir, had Aemon not died before him.
Verb
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But the fear of being snatched by ICE agents remains, Neel said.
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The White River remains a big draw, too, though Stephenson notes that public access points along the banks are becoming increasingly scarce.
Verb
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Those who rely on custom mobility devices still have to fly commercial or find another way to get to the games, and risk damage to their wheelchairs in the process.
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Last year, Jackie and Shadow’s eaglets (Sunny and Gizmo) were about a month older during the fireworks show and had already grown enough feathers to fly away from the nest.
Noun
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Follow evacuation instructions without delay.
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But with just a 60-day window to finalize a deal, any delay leaves less time to negotiate peace.
Verb
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Be aware that many tax strategies merely defer taxes, rather than avoiding them entirely.
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For consumers and logistics fleets who deferred major purchases out of fear that gas and diesel prices would remain permanently elevated, this stabilization acts as a powerful green light.
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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