HOLDBACKS Synonyms: 97 Similar and Opposite Words

holdbacks

noun

plural of holdback

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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. — 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

Sarah Buck, Chicago Driving has become harder The rapid increase in bike lanes has made driving much more difficult and tedious, with numerous delays due to many streets being reduced to one lane in busy areas.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Standing on the National Mall in the afternoon, before storm delays and fireworks, Donald Rasdall and Betsy Green peered at the history around them.

— Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 5 July 2026

Definition of delays

Noun

Crews can drive directly into rivers or lakes without installing additional equipment, allowing the vehicle to continue moving even when water obstacles stand in the way.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 July 2026
Remember, your perspective shapes your reality—choose to see opportunities over obstacles.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of obstacles

Noun

Healthcare providers are always a reliable resource for patients, but many Medicare beneficiaries face long waits for appointments with doctors.

— Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 1 July 2026
Powell said China has such operations lined up and planned well in advance and waits for such triggering events.

— Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 25 June 2026

Definition of waits

Noun

While optimism is growing, high prices and interest rates remain the biggest hurdles for hopeful buyers.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 9 July 2026
Wang said that Silicon Valley has lost some of its appetite for founders who build hardware products, shunning the longer development cycles and less return upside, compared with AI applications, as well as inevitable supply chain hurdles.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 8 July 2026

Definition of hurdles

Noun

The alternating placements of the piles/objects are very precise, which creates a series of chicanes, indicating they are not intended as obstructions but rather to prevent rapid ingress and egress by any vehicle toward the tunnels.

— Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Recent emergencies have included animals falling off a boat, lacerations from dog fights on the beach, clamshell ingestion, sand impaction, which can cause obstructions in the digestive system, and of course Lyme disease.

— Sylvie Bigar, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of obstructions

Noun

Sacramento Regional Transit, according to the grand jury, did not consult with the MAC or conduct tests before installing the barriers, which met ADA requirements, on 71 buses.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026
When those barriers fall, the gap in health outcomes will begin to close.

— Russell Cox, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of barriers

Noun

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.

— Eliana Dockterman, Time, 26 June 2026
The order to whitewash America’s historic sites of anything less than rosy about the nation’s past has led to some predictable embarrassments.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026

Definition of embarrassments

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hold back

holdbacks

hold down

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“Holdbacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holdbacks. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of holdbacks

noun

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