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
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Recent Examples of holding down
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
The biggest concern for Notre Dame is how Carr handles Mike Elko’s defense, considering few coaches are better at holding down an opposing quarterback, regardless of his experience.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Zarutska was a white woman who was holding down a job.
—Debra J. Saunders, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
In any case, most people wouldn’t last long holding down two full-time jobs, at least not in two different professions.
—Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 6 Sep. 2025
Most of its students are commuters, getting degrees while holding down full-time jobs.
—Byron Tau, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2025
The Grammy-winning R&B songstress and mother of four, who range in age from 11 to 18 months, carved out time to talk with us while her beloved husband, NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, was home holding down the fort.
—Sandra Guzmán, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
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
The biggest concern for Notre Dame is how Carr handles Mike Elko’s defense, considering few coaches are better at holding down an opposing quarterback, regardless of his experience.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Zarutska was a white woman who was holding down a job.
—Debra J. Saunders, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
In any case, most people wouldn’t last long holding down two full-time jobs, at least not in two different professions.
—Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 6 Sep. 2025
Most of its students are commuters, getting degrees while holding down full-time jobs.
—Byron Tau, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2025
The Grammy-winning R&B songstress and mother of four, who range in age from 11 to 18 months, carved out time to talk with us while her beloved husband, NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, was home holding down the fort.
—Sandra Guzmán, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding down
Verb
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The federal government argued that the lower courts were circumventing the power of the justices and improperly limiting the authority of the Department of Homeland Security.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
4 Oct. 2025
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Parents also have robust tools at their fingertips, from limiting usage to monitoring interactions.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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China has historically maintained strict immigration policies, tightly restricting low-skilled workers with limited paths to permanent residency for foreigners.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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The First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting free speech and does not apply to private companies.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Holding down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20down. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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