as in surviving
to continue to operate or to meet one's needs
we hoped our supply of firewood would hold out until power was restored luckily, the old outboard motor held out till we made it to shore
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Recent Examples of holding out
Will the conversation in Indianapolis lead toward Pickens holding out of offseason activities?
—
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Feb. 2026
Athletes such as Rettenegger are holding out hope for 2030.
—Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Brendan Morrow Speaking to NBC News, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators are holding out hope that Nancy Guthrie is alive.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
In the meantime, Musto said that PennDOT keeps holding out for sunshine.
—John Shumway, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
But this was largely attributed to buyers holding out for better prices that may yet follow and the overall market remains resilient.
—Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Jones continues holding out hope for a title run.
—Dallas Morning News, 7 Jan. 2026
Despite the lack of answers, Jim and Nancy remained optimistic, holding out hope for their kids' eventual discovery.
—Makena Gera, PEOPLE, 4 Jan. 2026
Although China sales haven’t been included in Nvidia’s outlook for some time, many investors were still holding out hope that shipments could restart following some encouraging developments this summer .
—Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2025
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Feb. 2026
Athletes such as Rettenegger are holding out hope for 2030.
—Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Brendan Morrow Speaking to NBC News, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators are holding out hope that Nancy Guthrie is alive.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
In the meantime, Musto said that PennDOT keeps holding out for sunshine.
—John Shumway, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
But this was largely attributed to buyers holding out for better prices that may yet follow and the overall market remains resilient.
—Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Jones continues holding out hope for a title run.
—Dallas Morning News, 7 Jan. 2026
Despite the lack of answers, Jim and Nancy remained optimistic, holding out hope for their kids' eventual discovery.
—Makena Gera, PEOPLE, 4 Jan. 2026
Although China sales haven’t been included in Nvidia’s outlook for some time, many investors were still holding out hope that shipments could restart following some encouraging developments this summer .
—Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding out
Verb
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Sam has captivated the Las Vegas community after surviving in the desert for months.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
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Cardiac arrest survival rates are low, with about 10% of patients surviving a cardiac arrest outside of the hospital, according to the American Heart Association.—
Alexandra Murphy,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, best leading actress nominees Emma Stone (Bugonia) and Renate Rensve (Sentimental Value) relied on bold cutouts to make a lasting impression.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
22 Feb. 2026
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This rich yet silky balm delivers up to 24 hours of hydration, instantly quenching dry, chapped lips and locking in moisture for lasting softness.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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With the team’s best players playing so well down that stretch, especially Thomas, the prevailing thought was that adding center depth in Pius Suter and Nick Bjugstad could keep them in the wild-card conversation.—
Jeremy Rutherford,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
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So while there were certain elements that would’ve made this a nice trip for a family with young adults, that wasn’t the prevailing guest.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Dipping enrollment and rising labor and operational costs have led to revenue not keeping up with expenses, district office staff have routinely said.—
Sierra Lopez,
Mercury News,
15 Feb. 2026
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Texans’ salaries aren’t keeping up with increasing costs.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Other Democrats protested by holding up signs and wearing statements on their clothing or walking out of the chamber altogether.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
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The outlet-exclusive style, on sale for under $40, is the ultimate travel essential, holding up to 52 liters.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holding out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20out. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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