as in keeping up
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in postponing
to assign to a later time
held up mail delivery until we had a permanent address
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stopping
to bring (something) to a standstill
traffic was held up for miles by the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in impeding
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
if lack of transportation is the only thing holding you up, I can give you a ride
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in surviving
to continue to operate or to meet one's needs
the air conditioner held up this year, but it's not going to make it through another summer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in remaining
to remain indefinitely in existence or in the same state
the storm's hurricane-force winds did not hold up once it hit the coast
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in flying
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
an argument that won't hold up in court
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 up
Hersh Shefrin,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Brandsema explained that humans are born with one pool of motor neurons for life, and SMA slowly robs individuals of their motor neurons over time, leaving them with difficulty walking or running, holding up their heads, or even swallowing food and liquid safely.
—
Ciara McCarthy 15,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 June 2026
The long view The expectation of a lower enrollment trend holding up is one of the key factors likely to translate into higher cost estimates as insurers draw up 2027 rates.
—
Julie Appleby,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
The Home Depot results echo early spring spending data that suggests consumers are still holding up all right — but not evenly.
—
Allie Canal,
NBC news,
19 May 2026
Barthélémy is beautiful, luminous, committed, and vulnerable — and therefore just about succeeds in holding up Mount Olympus as the only character with interiority across the two-hour running time.
—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
18 May 2026
However, there’s more than wood holding up the Marpole.
—
Stefan Ionescu
may 12,
New Atlas,
12 May 2026
But another federal agency was apparently holding up the revision.
—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
28 Apr. 2026
The photo shows Belichick, wearing a Code Black shirt and hat covered in roses, and Hudson, still sporting her cheerleading uniform, holding up three fingers for the camera.
—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
In her classic book Atlas Shrugged, Rand used the Greek myth of Atlas holding up the world as a metaphor.
—
Hersh Shefrin,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Brandsema explained that humans are born with one pool of motor neurons for life, and SMA slowly robs individuals of their motor neurons over time, leaving them with difficulty walking or running, holding up their heads, or even swallowing food and liquid safely.
—
Ciara McCarthy 15,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 June 2026
The long view The expectation of a lower enrollment trend holding up is one of the key factors likely to translate into higher cost estimates as insurers draw up 2027 rates.
—
Julie Appleby,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
The Home Depot results echo early spring spending data that suggests consumers are still holding up all right — but not evenly.
—
Allie Canal,
NBC news,
19 May 2026
Barthélémy is beautiful, luminous, committed, and vulnerable — and therefore just about succeeds in holding up Mount Olympus as the only character with interiority across the two-hour running time.
—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
18 May 2026
However, there’s more than wood holding up the Marpole.
—
Stefan Ionescu
may 12,
New Atlas,
12 May 2026
But another federal agency was apparently holding up the revision.
—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
28 Apr. 2026
The photo shows Belichick, wearing a Code Black shirt and hat covered in roses, and Hudson, still sporting her cheerleading uniform, holding up three fingers for the camera.
—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding up
Adjective
-
Still, Steve left a lasting legacy in Holden's life, beyond simply the scholarship.
-
Moreover, the most lasting benefits typically occur when the technique is used as part of a comprehensive CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) program rather than as a standalone strategy.
Verb
-
Consider postponing boating activities on the lake until a day with less wind.
-
Those who keep postponing the conversation risk leaving their heirs not a fortune but a locked archive whose contents can only be guessed at.
Verb
-
And the heat’s not stopping anytime soon.
-
Video shows how chase led to deadly crash Instead of stopping, the purple car accelerated and sped through a red light, according to video from Joel’s dashboard camera.
Verb
-
Florida’s sanctuary city laws forbid local governments from impeding ICE from doing its job, such as by not sharing information with the federal government.
-
Fifteen people, most of them Minnesotans, were arrested and charged last week, accused of impeding Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
Verb
-
Su expects the industry to eventually consolidate around a handful of major players, with the rest surviving on local government subsidies or support from other backers.
-
That’s because his is the rarest, with only about 50 surviving documents bearing his autograph.
Verb
-
By spinning off its freight unit, the remaining FedEx is focused on parcel and logistics services, while emphasizing higher-margin end markets.
-
After the top four picks, the remaining 10 lottery teams are slotted in according to their records (meaning that the worst team is guaranteed at least the fifth pick).
Verb
-
Taylor loves her Easter eggs, and there are rumors flying that Madison Square Garden is simply a bold ploy to redirect fans’ (and the media’s) attention away from where her true nuptials will be.
-
So, at this point, the town of Calistoga doesn't seem willing to take a chance that flying cars will be showing up any time soon.
Verb
-
The company is a major investor in OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, and a report in The New York Times suggested OpenAI is considering delaying an initial public offering of its stock to next year from the second half of this year.
-
The company is a major investor in OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, and a report in The New York Times suggested OpenAI is considering delaying an initial public offering of its stock to next year from the second half of this year.
Cite this Entry
“Holding up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20up. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
