holding down

verb

present participle of hold down
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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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 holding down That’s Khn, the guitarist and bassist, on the left; Klek is the drummer holding down the kit on the right. — Devon Ivie, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026 Zverev, who has Type 1 diabetes and checks his glucose levels throughout his matches, gave himself an insulin injection on two occasions—in the midst of holding down 12 consecutive points on his serve. — Corey Seymour, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2026 The channel will now be home to Cohen’s Radio Andy universe of shows, with Stern still holding down Channel 100. — Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026 Which is why on September 17, 2026, Deadline wants to celebrate the lawyers — especially the ones holding down the Hollywood fort. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026 The switch was so successful in holding down costs that Montana dipped into the health plan’s reserves in 2017 to help cover a particularly bad forest fire season. — Bob Herman, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026 Motion opened the gallery in Kings Cross in a disused betting parlor next door to a kebab shop in 2016 while also holding down a day job. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Getty Images The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Wednesday a program that has been holding down the cost of prescription drug coverage for roughly 25 million Americans will end after this year. — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Carefully lift main bone from fish to remove, holding down bottom fillets with your other hand as needed. — Alexia Duchêne, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding down
  1. limiting
  2. restricting
Verb
  • Defects introduced during those steps can disrupt the electronic processes needed for efficient light emission, potentially limiting a material’s performance even when its underlying crystal structure is favorable.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026
  • In other words, having a semi-capable infrastructure or limiting what data is available to the AI could cripple your chances.
    — Ozan Ozerk, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of limiting
Verb
  • The archaic legal restrictions restricting same-sex couples or unmarried women, for example, are acknowledged and adhered to, rather than being openly challenged or criticized.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • This may include repairing or repositioning a sprinkler, changing the irrigation schedule, removing standing water, posting warning signs, or temporarily restricting access to an affected area.
    — Christyne D. Santisteban, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of restricting

Browse Nearby Words

holding back
holding down
holding forth
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Holding down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20down. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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