1
as in postpones
to assign to a later time
held up mail delivery until we had a permanent address
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stops
to bring (something) to a standstill
traffic was held up for miles by the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hampers
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 survives
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 remains
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 flies
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
an argument that won't hold up in court
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of holds up
Meyer's vivid descriptions paint a harrowing picture that holds up just as well as the film version's finale scenes.
—
USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025
New to the service this month is the excellent 1983 adaptation of Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes, a masterpiece of all-ages horror that still holds up today.
—PC Magazine, 3 Oct. 2025
Whole milk comes out thick and lush, like the classic cappuccino topping, while oat milk holds up surprisingly well, too—creamy and stable instead of watery.
—Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Oct. 2025
In practice, standardization rarely holds up.
—Kathleen Hurley, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
This double-wide camp chair is quilted and comfortable, with durable 600D polyester fabric that holds up to weather, spills, and even a slobbery dog (or two) climbing aboard.
—Francesca Krempa, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
Despite the show’s late 1800s backdrop, much of the material still holds up today, from Laura’s (Melissa Gilbert) teen angst to heavy storylines involving topics like grief, spirituality, addiction, and more.
—Kelly Martinez, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025
While McGuire went without prosthetics, for example, Young’s war-scarred face is expertly executed — realistic and restrained, with detail that holds up to scrutiny even in the new Blu-ray’s razor-sharp imagery.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2025
With the right tools and a little practice, anyone can achieve a glossy, long-lasting manicure that holds up for up to two—sometimes even three—weeks.
—Angela Trakoshis, Allure, 11 Aug. 2025
USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025
New to the service this month is the excellent 1983 adaptation of Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes, a masterpiece of all-ages horror that still holds up today.
—PC Magazine, 3 Oct. 2025
Whole milk comes out thick and lush, like the classic cappuccino topping, while oat milk holds up surprisingly well, too—creamy and stable instead of watery.
—Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Oct. 2025
In practice, standardization rarely holds up.
—Kathleen Hurley, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
This double-wide camp chair is quilted and comfortable, with durable 600D polyester fabric that holds up to weather, spills, and even a slobbery dog (or two) climbing aboard.
—Francesca Krempa, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
Despite the show’s late 1800s backdrop, much of the material still holds up today, from Laura’s (Melissa Gilbert) teen angst to heavy storylines involving topics like grief, spirituality, addiction, and more.
—Kelly Martinez, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025
While McGuire went without prosthetics, for example, Young’s war-scarred face is expertly executed — realistic and restrained, with detail that holds up to scrutiny even in the new Blu-ray’s razor-sharp imagery.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2025
With the right tools and a little practice, anyone can achieve a glossy, long-lasting manicure that holds up for up to two—sometimes even three—weeks.
—Angela Trakoshis, Allure, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holds up
Verb
-
Scripps continues to pursue a strategy that focuses on the northern parts of San Diego County and postpones reconstruction plans for Scripps Mercy Hospital, which operates sister campuses in Hillcrest and Chula Vista.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The panel’s decision postpones the effective dates of TPS terminations directed by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.—
Antonio Pequeño IV,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
So grab a plate, settle in, and let these films take you back to the yard—where the music never stops, the bonds run deep, and every Homecoming feels like family coming home again.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
16 Oct. 2025
-
More than 750,000 federal workers have been furloughed, which stops them from reporting to work.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Players take on the role of Enzo Favaro, a miner who survives a tunnel collapse and flees the pit after insubordinately attacking a cruel underboss.—
Gieson Cacho,
Mercury News,
15 Oct. 2025
-
The Creature survives, becomes smarter and even eloquent, and vengefully chases Frankenstein all the way to the Arctic.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
One person was arrested after blocking the roadway and refusing to move their vehicle, Lee said, adding that the person was later transported for medical reasons but remains subject to arrest.—
Stephanie Murray,
AZCentral.com,
18 Oct. 2025
-
The protests come as the government remains shut down.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The film, which is a sequel to the classic 1990 Christmas movie, follows the young and spirited Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), who mistakenly gets on a plane headed for New York City while the rest of the family flies to Florida.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Oct. 2025
-
That said, both Painter and Brown said the airport video likely flies in the face of appropriations law.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But that was before the arrival of teplizumab, a monoclonal antibody approved in late 2022 that delays the advance of the illness and may even halt it at stage 2 in some people.—
Tara Haelle,
Scientific American,
14 Oct. 2025
-
That clogs the judicial system, wastes limited resources, and delays justice for those with legitimate grievances.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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For one day only, vehicle traffic halts on the 3,031-foot-long bridge and pedestrians stream across.—
Taryn Shorr-Mckee,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The best-cooling cases often reach that mark by spinning up their fans to annoyingly noisy levels, but the MasterFrame 600 halts that trend by having the third-quietest (or fourth-noisiest) sound pressure level of our test lot.—
Thomas Soderstrom,
PC Magazine,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Holds up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holds%20up. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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