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
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Recent Examples of hold up
Karen Valby, Vanity Fair, 16 June 2026
In many cases, economic impact studies are held up as justification for these expenditures.
—Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 16 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
In the rain, fed-up locals held up homemade signs bearing the number 119—a reminder to the government officials passing through of just how many lives were lost during the flood.
—Karen Valby, Vanity Fair, 16 June 2026
In many cases, economic impact studies are held up as justification for these expenditures.
—Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 16 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
-
On March 1 of this year, the Qatari soccer federation postponed all matches during the ongoing war between Israel and Iran while other sporting events in the region were also affected.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
-
He had been forced to postpone his own acting ambitions when he was drafted into the Vietnam War, serving 11 months with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade in Tây Ninh.—
Carl Kurlander,
Deadline,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Dallas Cowboys fans can stop wondering if George Pickens will be the latest holdout or hold in for the franchise because on Tuesday, the receiver cleared the air by reporting to mandatory minicamp.—
Briana Aldridge,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
-
This often meant that European nations recruited talented footballers from their former colonies to stop them from playing elsewhere.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Popular notions of philanthropy as merely a game for the ultrawealthy to fund partisan projects and commit fraud have left the sector vulnerable to political attacks, as the Council on Foundations sees it, influencing policies that hamper essential community services.—
James Pollard,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
-
Congolese health authorities have previously said contact tracing has been hampered by community resistance in some areas and by the rapid expansion of the outbreak into new health zones, increasing the workload for surveillance teams.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
The pier was able to survive Saturday's King Tide, which the National Weather Service said was the highest Summer wave levels on record.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
-
New York survived the scramble by controlling the glass and doing just enough at the free-throw line.—
Dan Zaksheske,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
His trial is currently scheduled to begin in May 2027, though the date remains subject to change, his criminal defense attorney Amber Fayerberg previously confirmed to PEOPLE.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
19 June 2026
-
For up to a month, Luban remained in a spot off the southern coast of India that is known for high food productivity.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
And no team is going to break away from training camp to fly across the country to visit the White House.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
-
Alana’s ideas don’t fly all the time.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Follow evacuation instructions without delay.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 June 2026
-
But with just a 60-day window to finalize a deal, any delay leaves less time to negotiate peace.—
Nic Robertson,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
The chief engineer and the federal government have agreed to defer the prosecution, meaning that his case is on pause.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
-
The nuclear issue – along with core issues such as ballistic missiles and Iran’s proxies – has been deferred for 60 days.—
Farah N. Jan,
The Conversation,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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