1
as in suspensions
a state of temporary inactivity
repair work on the bridge was in a holding pattern for the duration of the winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delays
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
the couple has been trapped in this holding pattern for six months, as adoption officials create more red tape
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of holding patterns
Some of the most common causes for the delays were the gate not being ready, taxiway congestion, holding patterns, runway queues, crew or equipment delay and weather restrictions.
—
Marina Watts, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
Inbound flights that had been placed in holding patterns were cleared to land, and no cancellations were reported.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
Marina Watts, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
Inbound flights that had been placed in holding patterns were cleared to land, and no cancellations were reported.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding patterns
Noun
-
Regarding out-of-school suspensions, the district has seen a 7% decrease in the use of that discipline when the 2024 and 2025 school years are compared.—
Connye Griffin,
Kansas City Star,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Participating high schools, including Oakland Tech High School in Oakland and Mission Hills High School in San Marcos, adapted their peer support programs to school-specific goals such as providing restorative alternatives to suspensions and teaching students conflict resolution skills.—
Vani Sanganeria,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Major delays at airports across the country continue to persist due to staffing issues in air traffic controller towers and centers.—
Jon Haworth,
ABC News,
8 Nov. 2025
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After the modems were shut off in 2021, Forlini said, each community had to bring in the memory sticks in the tabulators to the county elections department for uploading, which brought delays in reporting unofficial results.—
Christina Hall,
Freep.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport warned travelers of up to three-hour waits for security screening this week.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
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Although crowding issues have improved since American Express restricted Centurion guest access, there are often still long waits.—
Lori Zaino,
CNBC,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Holding patterns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20patterns. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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