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
If the forecast high of 91 holds up, that would be about 15 degrees warmer than normal and would match the daily record for March 20 set exactly 50 years ago in 1976.
—
Roberto Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Whether that outlook holds up likely will depend on how things play out in the Middle East.
—Sean Conlon,pia Singh, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026
The pieces knit together to form a cast iron surface that sheds water, smothers weeds and holds up for a long time.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 6 Mar. 2026
Chet Holmgren misses a minute, and Isaiah Hartenstein holds up the rim protection.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
The storyline is timeless, and the computer animation—a breakthrough when it was released—still holds up for today's digital-savvy kids.
—Karen Cicero, Parents, 5 Mar. 2026
The standard Baggu holds up to three grocery bags’ worth of items, yet folds down into a flat, five-inch pouch that fits in the palm of my hand.
—Kayla Kitts, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
Paired with the Country Fried Steak, an 8-ounce beef steak lightly coated, fried, and topped with white gravy, the table has something substantial that holds up as the game stretches on.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 30 Jan. 2026
Cumming holds up his iPhone to the camera, proudly boasting about still-unseen looks in all their campy and ridiculous glory.
—Jonathan Borge, InStyle, 29 Jan. 2026
Roberto Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Whether that outlook holds up likely will depend on how things play out in the Middle East.
—Sean Conlon,pia Singh, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026
The pieces knit together to form a cast iron surface that sheds water, smothers weeds and holds up for a long time.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 6 Mar. 2026
Chet Holmgren misses a minute, and Isaiah Hartenstein holds up the rim protection.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
The storyline is timeless, and the computer animation—a breakthrough when it was released—still holds up for today's digital-savvy kids.
—Karen Cicero, Parents, 5 Mar. 2026
The standard Baggu holds up to three grocery bags’ worth of items, yet folds down into a flat, five-inch pouch that fits in the palm of my hand.
—Kayla Kitts, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
Paired with the Country Fried Steak, an 8-ounce beef steak lightly coated, fried, and topped with white gravy, the table has something substantial that holds up as the game stretches on.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 30 Jan. 2026
Cumming holds up his iPhone to the camera, proudly boasting about still-unseen looks in all their campy and ridiculous glory.
—Jonathan Borge, InStyle, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holds up
Verb
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Instead, the sentencing for the teenager falls under a process known as Extended Jurisdiction Juvenile, which postpones an adult sentence until his 21st birthday.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Discord postpones age verification Discord, the popular platform for gamers to communicate online, is postponing its controversial age verification policy after receiving swift backlash from users with concerns about their privacy.—
Boston Herald Wire Services,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The decision stops sweeping changes to childhood vaccine recommendations the federal government made in January, including no longer advising all children be vaccinated against the flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The Padres expected there to be starts and stops along with setbacks and surges in bringing Joe Musgrove back from Tommy John surgery this year.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
If a meteor survives its trip to the ground, it's called a meteorite.—
Madeline Bartos,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
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But economists say that all depends on when the Strait of Hormuz can be reopened and whether oil infrastructure survives unscathed.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The spa Wellness remains high on the list of 1 Hotel Tokyo’s biggest draws.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Still, Iran -- now led by the son of the supreme leader killed in the war's opening salvo -- remains capable of missile and drone attacks.—
DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS,
Arkansas Online,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The White House’s push for the Railway Safety Act flies in the face of its own advice.—
John Shelton,
Washington Post,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Young normally flies using CLEAR, a private security program that costs about $200 a person, but that option wasn’t available on Sunday.—
Dan Gallo,
NBC news,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
With annuals like snapdragons, removing flower stalks delays the formation of seed production and the plants send out more shoots.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2026
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Too much light in the evening — that extra hour from daylight saving time — delays that surge and the cycle gets out of sync.—
Lauran Neergaard,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Global oil prices have spiked as Iran halts traffic through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, where one-fifth of the world’s oil typically passes through from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide.—
Raf Sanchez,
NBC news,
19 Mar. 2026
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Debt consolidation does not carry a legal mechanism that immediately halts wage garnishment the way bankruptcy does, at least not in most forms.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holds up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holds%20up. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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