as in limiting
to set bounds or an upper limit for
efforts to hold down taxes keep running up against the legislature's ingrained unwillingness to cut spending
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of holding down
He's been holding down the fort on NBC and Today for over 45 years, and is undeniably integral to the network after all this time.
—
Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Nov. 2025
Perdue has lived a double life—having access to immense privilege and money from two business empires, while holding down a regular job and living frugally.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025
Yesavage will be tasked with holding down a Dodgers lineup that is littered with All-Stars and MVP winners.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
After holding down the top seven, the remainder of the September 2025 tally features music from Gabby’s Dollhouse, Weapons and The Wrong Paris.
—Kevin Rutherford, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2025
And every one of these students is holding down multiple jobs.
—Nicole Gregory, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
The Prep defense also stood tall in holding down the Raiders’ talented quarterback Caden Smith and tailback Caden Chase until the game was well out of reach.
—Matt Roy, Boston Herald, 20 Sep. 2025
By holding down the Talk button, the user can temporarily access the SuperMic and override the mics in the earbuds.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Turnstile’s powerhouse rhythm section of bassist Franz Lyons and drummer Daniel Fang, and guitarists Pat McCrory and Meg Mills (who replaced founding guitarist Brady Ebert in 2022) are skilled musicians who allow Yates to soar while holding down the sound.
—Daniel Kohn, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025
Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Nov. 2025
Perdue has lived a double life—having access to immense privilege and money from two business empires, while holding down a regular job and living frugally.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025
Yesavage will be tasked with holding down a Dodgers lineup that is littered with All-Stars and MVP winners.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
After holding down the top seven, the remainder of the September 2025 tally features music from Gabby’s Dollhouse, Weapons and The Wrong Paris.
—Kevin Rutherford, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2025
And every one of these students is holding down multiple jobs.
—Nicole Gregory, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
The Prep defense also stood tall in holding down the Raiders’ talented quarterback Caden Smith and tailback Caden Chase until the game was well out of reach.
—Matt Roy, Boston Herald, 20 Sep. 2025
By holding down the Talk button, the user can temporarily access the SuperMic and override the mics in the earbuds.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Turnstile’s powerhouse rhythm section of bassist Franz Lyons and drummer Daniel Fang, and guitarists Pat McCrory and Meg Mills (who replaced founding guitarist Brady Ebert in 2022) are skilled musicians who allow Yates to soar while holding down the sound.
—Daniel Kohn, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding down
Verb
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This method prevents clutter by limiting how much can be stacked, keeping everything tidy and accessible.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Nov. 2025
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Health care experts and politicians on both sides of the aisle agree that medical schools must find ways to lower their costs, but critics of the loan caps say limiting federal lending isn’t the answer.—
Tribune News Service,
Oc Register,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Bike advocates, like nonprofit BikeWalkKC, co-founded by District 4 Councilor Eric Bunch, believe city ordinance changes are needed, but contend they should be focused on helping to protect cyclists and scooter operators, instead of restricting the usage of such modes of transportation.—
PJ Green
November 11,
Kansas City Star,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia sued the department over the new rule restricting eligibility for PSLF.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Holding down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20down. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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