as in surviving
to continue to operate or to meet one's needs
we hoped our supply of firewood would hold out until power was restored luckily, the old outboard motor held out till we made it to shore
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Recent Examples of holding out
The gap between those people and the 80% still holding out isn’t philosophical.
—
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
Even so, the Hall has kept holding out against Eighties/Nineties rock.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2026
The strategic calculus, for both countries, is about holding out longer than the other.
—Robin Wright, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
The Hawks sat most of their regulars on Sunday, holding out Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Jonathan Kuminga, CJ McCollum and Onyeka Okongwu.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Maybe the governor was simply ahead of his time, holding out for our lemon pepper wing taste test — only the best from Georgia.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Ubel says some were holding out for lower prices this spring, only to see the price of the most common nitrogen fertilizer, urea, spike close to 30% when Iran shut down shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, halting close to half the world's fertilizer trade.
—Frank Morris, NPR, 26 Mar. 2026
The White House is holding out hope for a bipartisan deal on artificial intelligence legislation this year despite Democratic opposition to its framework.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Helman, a product of Texas A&M, seemed surprised when Nimmo was holding out the Rolex before giving him the box.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Mar. 2026
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
Even so, the Hall has kept holding out against Eighties/Nineties rock.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2026
The strategic calculus, for both countries, is about holding out longer than the other.
—Robin Wright, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
The Hawks sat most of their regulars on Sunday, holding out Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Jonathan Kuminga, CJ McCollum and Onyeka Okongwu.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Maybe the governor was simply ahead of his time, holding out for our lemon pepper wing taste test — only the best from Georgia.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Ubel says some were holding out for lower prices this spring, only to see the price of the most common nitrogen fertilizer, urea, spike close to 30% when Iran shut down shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, halting close to half the world's fertilizer trade.
—Frank Morris, NPR, 26 Mar. 2026
The White House is holding out hope for a bipartisan deal on artificial intelligence legislation this year despite Democratic opposition to its framework.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Helman, a product of Texas A&M, seemed surprised when Nimmo was holding out the Rolex before giving him the box.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding out
Verb
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Davis reflected on the tragedy of the situation and the trauma inflected on the surviving children.—
Ivan Pereira,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
His is a work of coming to terms with the odds, surviving them, and doing so with grace, radiance, generosity, and spirit.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In at least two cases Taylor has seen, the relationship between the child and parent suffered lasting damage.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
19 Apr. 2026
-
As Democrats look toward the next election cycle, the question is no longer whether the party is shifting on Israel, but whether that shift will turn one of Washington’s most durable bipartisan issues into a lasting political fault line.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That’s the prevailing opinion among Republican and Democratic candidates vying to become the Sunflower State’s next governor.—
Matthew Kelly
Updated April 15,
Kansas City Star,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The prevailing theory is that Goldman was caught offsides on trades tied to interest rates in the first quarter, according to several market participants who asked for anonymity to speak candidly.—
Hugh Son,
CNBC,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Nevada Irrigation District says the increases are necessary to fix aging infrastructure while keeping up with rising costs.—
Conor McGill,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Even for Silicon Valley startups, keeping up with the pace of change is no easy feat.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Several feature her holding up Ironman finisher medals or plaques.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
-
In fact, the International Atomic Energy Agency had consistently certified Tehran was holding up its end of the bargain.—
Farah N. Jan,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holding out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20out. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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