1
as in delays
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
there'll be a holdback on production until the new machinery is fully installed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obstacles
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the only holdback to starting the new job is my contractual commitment to my current position
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of holdbacks
And maybe this is an opportunity to voice something, and that is that independent films from the United States are more and more often being subjected to strategies which used to be dedicated to bigger, more commercial films, in terms of holdbacks.
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Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
21 June 2026
Universities will continue to deal with the 3% holdbacks — plus another 2% drop — for next fiscal year, according to the statement of purpose for the appropriations bill that senators passed Thursday.
—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Add curtain holdbacks with playful animal details, or top your door hinges with decorative hinge caps for a knowing wink of whimsy.
—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Mar. 2026
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
21 June 2026
Universities will continue to deal with the 3% holdbacks — plus another 2% drop — for next fiscal year, according to the statement of purpose for the appropriations bill that senators passed Thursday.
—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Add curtain holdbacks with playful animal details, or top your door hinges with decorative hinge caps for a knowing wink of whimsy.
—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holdbacks
Noun
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Earlier, near the Simon Bolivar International Airport — an area also heavily impacted by the quakes — residents complained of delays in resuming rescue operations.
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Be punctual for shore excursions and activities to avoid delays or missing out without a refund.
Noun
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There was an element of cynicism, but not on the part of determined prosecutors who overcame obstacles and brought the case to guilty pleas by three defendants and the conviction on 21 counts of the public official who ignited the scandal.
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But obstacles veered her away from art for years.
Noun
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Powell said China has such operations lined up and planned well in advance and waits for such triggering events.
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At its core, Megawheels believes that children should not be stuck on the sidelines while the outdoors waits.
Noun
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Working with researchers at the Freie Universität Berlin, the University of Edinburgh, and Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, IQM has developed a new family of error correction called directional tile codes, addressing major hurdles in quantum error correction.
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The bill targets the cost of construction, regulatory red tape, zoning restrictions, and banking hurdles.
Noun
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To have the best chance of viewing the planetary alignment, find a spot free of light pollution and a view of the horizon without obstructions like trees or tall buildings.
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Not just crashes, but obstructions, emergency scene conflicts, unexpected stops in travel lanes and response-time performance.
Noun
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The Broadway production has also formed an official partnership with mental health nonprofit Project Healthy Minds to reduce barriers to care by making support options for mental health services easily accessible to those in need.
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Deloitte's State of AI in the Enterprise research similarly highlights governance, risk management and data readiness as some of the most significant barriers to scaling AI successfully.
Noun
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Sitting around a table in the soundstage where the pilot for I Love Lucy was filmed, the six of them tailored the roles to the actors and infused the script with arguments, embarrassments, and confessions from their own relationships.
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The order to whitewash America’s historic sites of anything less than rosy about the nation’s past has led to some predictable embarrassments.
Cite this Entry
“Holdbacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holdbacks. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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