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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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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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold up
Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 16 May 2025
The massive vessel still boasts the title as the world's largest cruise ship with 20 decks, 2,805 staterooms and the ability to hold up to 7,600 guests.
—Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 15 May 2025
Owen Tedford, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
The only holdup with this trade is the fact that the Cardinals already have a decent bit of pitching in their farm system.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Verb
The single artwork follows the theme of the track, which sees Kesha being choked by someone who holds a cigarette to her mouth, while another arm holds up a silver telephone to her ear.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 16 May 2025
The massive vessel still boasts the title as the world's largest cruise ship with 20 decks, 2,805 staterooms and the ability to hold up to 7,600 guests.
—Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 15 May 2025
Noun
However, the holdup on congressional action is a lack of input from the White House, which could also opt to act unilaterally to revise existing outbound investment regulations.
—Owen Tedford, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
The only holdup with this trade is the fact that the Cardinals already have a decent bit of pitching in their farm system.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
-
Hartford Courant Central opener postponed: Thursday’s games in the NEC tournament in Wappingers Falls, N.Y. were postponed due to rain.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
22 May 2025
-
Clean up habitat down by the L.A. River Volunteers are needed from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve for Friends of the L.A. River’s habitat restoration day and Earth Month celebration, postponed because of rain last month.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2025
Verb
-
The chase reportedly ended when Buckley wrecked near the intersection of Watts and McAlister streets, an area of mostly forest about 1 1/2 miles southeast of where Buckley was first stopped.—
Grant Lancaster,
Arkansas Online,
25 May 2025
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It's been hard for any team to stop Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was named the regular season MVP.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 May 2025
Verb
-
Keep clear of puddles - Driving through puddles or low rainwater areas can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
17 May 2025
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 May 2025
Verb
-
Death then seeks vengeance, since none of the students were supposed to survive the crash.—
Keith Langston,
People.com,
17 May 2025
-
The species is endangered, and infants require constant, skilled care to survive.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2025
Verb
-
Fortunately, the producer remained conscious and is currently in stable condition.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
20 May 2025
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For now, even though US and China have temporarily rolled back their triple-digit tariffs, President Donald Trump’s tariffs on vehicles and car parts have remained.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
20 May 2025
Verb
-
Books about fictional weddings fly off the shelves of bookstores, too.—
Lian Dolan,
People.com,
20 May 2025
-
This puts it far ahead of current lock-on-target drone guidance in Ukraine which simply flies directly at the target.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Noun
-
Nola’s delay Two days ago, Aaron Nola tested his sprained right ankle for the first time since going on the injured list May 16.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
26 May 2025
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Because of the trial delays, her test date fell during the murder trial.—
Amy Lavalley,
Chicago Tribune,
25 May 2025
Verb
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And when Ohtani became a free agent, Moreno could have said yes to the same terms the Dodgers did — 10 years, $700 million, with all but $20 million deferred.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
-
Commissioners deferred the vote on the plan to June 9 over landscaping concerns.—
Catherine Muccigrosso,
Charlotte Observer,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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