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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of holding back
The skill most likely holding back your influence isn't a missing tactic.
—
Kwame Christian Esq,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
One of the few signs of contraction in the Nevada labor economy came in government jobs, which fell over the past year, holding back what would have been an even stronger expansion.
—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
19 June 2026
But good for him for not holding back.
—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
17 June 2026
There was no holding back on the project’s ambition.
—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
And more pressure is coming from powerful education groups because Newsom is holding back some school funds that the constitution requires to be paid.
—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
Smaller drones are also holding back Russian troops along the 1,250-kilometer (780-mile) front line and disrupting the supply lines of Russia’s invading army, Western analysts and officials say.
—
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Prosecutors are seeking a 41-month prison sentence, and Perry's family isn't holding back.
—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 May 2026
Jack Antonoff isn’t holding back on his thoughts on music makers who use artificial intelligence.
—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Kwame Christian Esq,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
One of the few signs of contraction in the Nevada labor economy came in government jobs, which fell over the past year, holding back what would have been an even stronger expansion.
—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
19 June 2026
But good for him for not holding back.
—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
17 June 2026
There was no holding back on the project’s ambition.
—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
And more pressure is coming from powerful education groups because Newsom is holding back some school funds that the constitution requires to be paid.
—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
Smaller drones are also holding back Russian troops along the 1,250-kilometer (780-mile) front line and disrupting the supply lines of Russia’s invading army, Western analysts and officials say.
—
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Prosecutors are seeking a 41-month prison sentence, and Perry's family isn't holding back.
—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 May 2026
Jack Antonoff isn’t holding back on his thoughts on music makers who use artificial intelligence.
—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding back
Verb
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Florida’s sanctuary city laws forbid local governments from impeding ICE from doing its job, such as by not sharing information with the federal government.
-
Fifteen people, most of them Minnesotans, were arrested and charged last week, accused of impeding Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
Verb
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Candor, without the balance of Humility, Temperance, and Collaboration, risks hardening into rigidity, creating blind spots and stifling relationships.
-
There are so many etiquette rules stifling the truth.
Verb
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The sanctions are hampering work on a broad array of investigations at the court.
-
Winds of up to 50 mph stoked the flames and severely limited the fire response by hampering boat and aircraft access to the remote island.
Verb
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The migrating dust can move from the African desert more than 5,000 miles westward over the Atlantic and is known for suppressing rainfall and conditions that support hurricanes.
-
At a status hearing Wednesday, an attorney for defendant Charles Green argued in favor of suppressing some of the evidence in the case.
Verb
-
The way most businesses are using AI for marketing is hindering those connections, not helping.
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Over the decades the O’odham placed some barbed wire along the border to keep livestock from straying into the neighboring country, limiting the spread of maladies such as foot-and-mouth disease and hindering cattle thieves.
Verb
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Patients may initially experience jaw stiffness, neck pain, back pain or difficulty swallowing.
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An alligator at the Sacramento Zoo is recovering after swallowing – and later regurgitating – a plush toy that fell into its habitat.
Verb
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The moms aren’t embarrassing their kids.
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Several other policy changes led to blowback from the public and Starmer was forced to make a series of embarrassing U-turns that provided political capital for opponents and fed beliefs that the prime minister didn’t stand for much.
Verb
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Nearly 40% of calls handled by Sacramento’s emergency medical services system were non-emergencies, tying up ambulances and paramedics, delaying urgent medical responses and adding nearly $5 million in costs to the city, according to a city audit.
-
As many spread awareness to avoid tying up a dog outside, Ezra's owner is hoping someone can help.
Cite this Entry
“Holding back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20back. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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