1
as in impeding
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
the only thing holding them back from joining the swim team is lack of transportation
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stifling
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
held back her tears until she was alone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of holding back
Claire, holding back tears, attempts CPR.
—
Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
Women’s sports is no different, and placing expectations for greater decorum on it is a way of holding back the game’s growth.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
The video shows a security guard holding back a male security guard who is moving toward a young man who throws his backpack on the ground, and appears ready to fight as the woman is being handcuffed.
—Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026
Productivity is rising, but slow deployment is holding back capacity.
—Paul S. Lavoie, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
The Hungarian government has recently accused Kyiv of deliberately holding back Russian oil deliveries through the pipeline, which crosses Ukraine's territory.
—Arkansas Online, 5 Mar. 2026
The Hungarian government has recently accused Kyiv of deliberately holding back Russian oil deliveries through the pipeline, which crosses Ukraine’s territory.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
Some businesses may also be holding back on adding jobs out of uncertainty about whether AI will enable them to produce more without finding new employees.
—Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
There have been performances this year where Cowan has been holding back the tears, unable to separate himself from the emotion.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
Women’s sports is no different, and placing expectations for greater decorum on it is a way of holding back the game’s growth.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
The video shows a security guard holding back a male security guard who is moving toward a young man who throws his backpack on the ground, and appears ready to fight as the woman is being handcuffed.
—Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026
Productivity is rising, but slow deployment is holding back capacity.
—Paul S. Lavoie, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
The Hungarian government has recently accused Kyiv of deliberately holding back Russian oil deliveries through the pipeline, which crosses Ukraine's territory.
—Arkansas Online, 5 Mar. 2026
The Hungarian government has recently accused Kyiv of deliberately holding back Russian oil deliveries through the pipeline, which crosses Ukraine’s territory.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
Some businesses may also be holding back on adding jobs out of uncertainty about whether AI will enable them to produce more without finding new employees.
—Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
There have been performances this year where Cowan has been holding back the tears, unable to separate himself from the emotion.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding back
Verb
-
Japan’s aging population is a long-running issue, impeding economic growth and putting immense pressure on the public coffers.—
Junko Ogura,
CNN Money,
20 Mar. 2026
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The indictment includes the conspiracy count, which carries a maximum sentence of six years in federal prison, as well as several other counts of forcibly impeding a federal officer, each punishable by up to one year in federal prison.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Pushing the pace on offense and stifling the Sharks with defense, Arizona went up by double digits in the opening minutes and led the Sharks by 27 in the first half while delighting the thousands of fans who filled Viejas Arena with red.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
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Oettinger, who was Team USA’s backup goalie in their run to the gold medal last month, ranged from steady to spectacular in stifling the Wild.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Some lawmakers think the staff reductions are hampering farmers’ ability to access programs.—
Patricia Kime,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
-
A number of airlines have halted flights to Dubai, hampering travel and freight transport.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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State investigators say federal authorities have blocked them from accessing evidence, hindering a possible use-of-force investigation.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
20 Mar. 2026
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However, tariff threats from the US — Nigeria’s third-largest export market — and inflationary pressures caused by the war in Iran risk hindering that progress.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Broken player economics, including the lack of a salary cap, is suppressing MLB multiples, according to one private equity executive, who declined to speak on the record.—
Luisa Beltran,
Sportico.com,
18 Mar. 2026
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The Basij forces are a volunteer paramilitary militia, a branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which Israel says was responsible for violently suppressing street protests against the Iranian government earlier this year.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When a pet bites into the plant, those crystals embed in mouth tissue, which explains why oral irritation and swallowing difficulty are the primary symptoms.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Mar. 2026
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If these patterns appear regularly, a medical evaluation can help identify whether swallowing changes are involved.—
Sundeep Venkatesan,
The Conversation,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Harbaugh has taken a blow torch to the Giants’ embarrassing special teams unit.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
25 Mar. 2026
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Fairchild played the free-wheeling bon vivant Nora Tyler Bing on five episodes of the sitcom classic, unwittingly embarrassing Perry's Chandler Bing to the delight of his pals.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That high mortgage payment reduces monthly cash flow, tying up more income that might otherwise be used for other investments.—
Jeff Lazerson,
Oc Register,
26 Feb. 2026
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Instead of tying up resources on certain things, perhaps a drone and then the AI assistant, for a phone call, can handle that situation.—
Ryan Oehrli
Updated February 20,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holding back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20back. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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