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
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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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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
Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 7 Apr. 2026
She and Max are held up at gunpoint on that very bad date.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Feb. 2026
With holdups at home, investors are exploring buildouts abroad, including in the energy-rich Gulf states.
—Jared Cohen, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Verb
Her older daughter, Olympia, 8, held up a peace sign, wearing a white dress with flowers.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 7 Apr. 2026
She and Max are held up at gunpoint on that very bad date.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
Noun
The switch caused a brief holdup, but the deal was agreed upon on Saturday afternoon.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Feb. 2026
With holdups at home, investors are exploring buildouts abroad, including in the energy-rich Gulf states.
—Jared Cohen, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
-
At a time when festivals like Sol Blume, Goldensky and Breakaway have been cancelled or postponed, citing costs or unforeseen circumstances, Channel 24 credits the Sacramento community as the key to their success.—
Madisen Keavy,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Game postponed, Sunday doubleheader scheduled Impending rain forced the postponement of the Cubs-Guardians game Saturday at Progressive Field.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Such comments did little to stop the speculation, despite his contract at Atletico running to 2030 and containing a €500million (£436m; $577m) release clause.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Lee’s Summit school board election Voters will see seven names on their ballot for three spots on the Lee’s Summit school board, though one candidate, Christopher Thornton, did withdraw from the race after the deadline and stopped actively running.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sandboxing allows firms to focus solely on moving experiments swiftly through the pilot phase because the teams working on them are not hampered by juggling experimentation with their day-to-day.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
His attempts at a comeback could still be hampered.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Far too many people are struggling to, to survive and certainly can't thrive paycheck to paycheck in this country, which should not be happening in the wealthiest country in the history of the world.—
Ford McCracken,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
He is survived by his mother, Jarica WIlliams, his siblings — Grayson, Kaiden, and Zalayah — and a number of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and great grandparents.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Even as China remains one of Iran’s biggest diplomatic allies, President Xi Jinping’s support for the Islamic Republic is being constrained by a vast trail of Chinese capital across the Gulf.—
Bloomberg,
Bloomberg,
10 Apr. 2026
-
With just three games remaining in their season after Thursday, the Stars could be looking at another disastrous injury.—
R.J. Coyle,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Using the HistoPad, visitors fly down a dirt road flanked by wooden snake rail fences to the intersection of Trade and Tryon streets.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
-
While an annoyance at times for the crew, it's been a relatively minor issue given the technical challenges of safely flying to the moon and back.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Caltrans advised drivers to use the prior exit to reach their destinations and avoid delays.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
As the delay stretched on, some players played cards.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At the same time, Newsom has proposed deferring funding guaranteed under Proposition 98, the 1988 ballot measure that requires roughly 40 percent of the state’s general fund go to K-12 schools and community colleges.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Last month, the commission's Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee deferred the proposal indefinitely.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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