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
Maybe the governor was simply ahead of his time, holding out for our lemon pepper wing taste test — only the best from Georgia.
—
Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Ubel says some were holding out for lower prices this spring, only to see the price of the most common nitrogen fertilizer, urea, spike close to 30% when Iran shut down shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, halting close to half the world's fertilizer trade.
—Frank Morris, NPR, 26 Mar. 2026
The White House is holding out hope for a bipartisan deal on artificial intelligence legislation this year despite Democratic opposition to its framework.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Helman, a product of Texas A&M, seemed surprised when Nimmo was holding out the Rolex before giving him the box.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Mar. 2026
Not here in Chinatown, but perhaps this place is holding out for something better, something more real.
—Xuan Juliana Wang, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Mourinho had seen enough and marched over to Parkinson on the touchline, holding out his hand in a gesture intended to concede defeat.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Child care providers and workers in Michigan are holding out hope for more.
—Beki San Martin, Freep.com, 8 Mar. 2026
The unscripted business has been holding out hope that under Wiseman and Holland, Paramount+ will become another major buyer of reality formats and series to rival the likes of Netflix and the broadcast networks.
—Peter White, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2026
Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Ubel says some were holding out for lower prices this spring, only to see the price of the most common nitrogen fertilizer, urea, spike close to 30% when Iran shut down shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, halting close to half the world's fertilizer trade.
—Frank Morris, NPR, 26 Mar. 2026
The White House is holding out hope for a bipartisan deal on artificial intelligence legislation this year despite Democratic opposition to its framework.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Helman, a product of Texas A&M, seemed surprised when Nimmo was holding out the Rolex before giving him the box.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Mar. 2026
Not here in Chinatown, but perhaps this place is holding out for something better, something more real.
—Xuan Juliana Wang, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Mourinho had seen enough and marched over to Parkinson on the touchline, holding out his hand in a gesture intended to concede defeat.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Child care providers and workers in Michigan are holding out hope for more.
—Beki San Martin, Freep.com, 8 Mar. 2026
The unscripted business has been holding out hope that under Wiseman and Holland, Paramount+ will become another major buyer of reality formats and series to rival the likes of Netflix and the broadcast networks.
—Peter White, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding out
Verb
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The literary culture of the Mughal Empire was among the most productive in the early modern world, and its surviving texts reflect something of the complexity that defined the dynasty.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
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Founded in 1805, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) has lived many lives — surviving fires, moving buildings and adapting to a changing art world.—
Nikki DeMentri,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Young children participating in light activities lasting 1 hour or less may not need to snack before and after exercise.—
Dr. Sarah Kinsella,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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The political fallout was lasting.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The prevailing thought was not concern, not the slightest bit of panic.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
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Utah is at the heart of what’s been called the Sagebrush Rebellion, which rose during the Reagan era to challenge the prevailing management of federal lands, and, indeed, the entire idea of federal lands.—
Bill McKibben,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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If your skin begins looking red or pink, your body may be having a hard time keeping up, a good indicator to take a break in the shade.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
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For me, keeping up with bills was never a huge problem.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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He was also photographed holding up the heart emoji with his hands — a tribute to his two daughters — while being introduced ahead of the Artemis II takeoff.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2026
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The resultant device blends fast discharge speeds with massive storage capacity, holding up to 25 times more energy per kilogram than conventional versions.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holding out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20out. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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