HOLDING OUT Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

holding out

verb

present participle of hold out

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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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 out Bad news for fans of Ted Lasso‘s original Richmond men’s team who have been holding out hope for a larger presence of the players in the show’s new incarnation. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026 When the target returned, a neighbor’s security camera captured the pair quickly sitting up and holding out what appeared to be phones to photograph or record the family, according to the affidavit. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026 For travelers holding out for cheaper fares, the wait could outlast the war itself. — Rio Yamat, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026 Trump, in the NewsNation interview, was also asked how Iran could continue holding out under the current economic pressure. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026 Clancy’s supporters were divided, some holding out hope the Commonwealth’s highest court would intervene and others coming to accept what would end up being the inescapable conclusion. — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026 Now, the family of one Canton, Georgia woman is holding out hope that she will be found as rescue officials continue to search through debris left by one of the most severe natural disasters in the region. — Irene Wright, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 The state has already sued one sheriff's agency for holding out. — Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026 Rossum is holding out hope that the pair will give romance a try. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding out

Verb

The Chicago archdiocese recognized Rubey's work this year by dedicating in his honor a memorial to the lives lost to suicide and their surviving families.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike has been discharged from the hospital and returned to prison after surviving a botched lethal injection that left her with serious medical complications, her attorneys announced.

— Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of surviving

Verb

Their research showed that Chinese import competition did lasting damage to American manufacturing communities, which did not adjust as smoothly as optimistic accounts of globalization predicted.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
Enríquez argued that lasting economic recovery would be difficult without a legitimate government and that credible elections would help establish confidence among international investors.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of lasting

Verb

The prevailing and most desirable silhouette in handbags is a slim east-west carried by a thin pencil line shoulder-length top handle.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
In that span, the prevailing public narrative about Simmons shifted radically — from a guy zealously dedicated to rehabbing and the game itself to questions about his desire and dedication.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of prevailing

Verb

Revenue may be holding up even as calendar productivity softens, creating an important trade-off for buyers to consider.

— Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
Consumers are also doing their part, holding up better against higher fuel prices and higher tariffs than many forecast.

— Evan Clark, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026