1
as in to postpone
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 to stop
to bring (something) to a standstill
traffic was held up for miles by the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to hamper
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 to survive
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 to remain
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 to fly
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
an argument that won't hold up in court
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in delay
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
a holdup in construction due to the weather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 hold up
Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
Gross held up a large jug of Clorox bleach and a brown bottle of hydrogen peroxide to show the jury what was used for disinfecting, then played a short video on how the process worked.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2026
Morgan Rynor, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
The charges reportedly stem from Fontenette’s role in a violent robbery and assault of a Bulldog Express convenience store clerk in Nederland in October 2025, in which Fontenette and two others used a firearm to carry out the holdup.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Verb
This transit favors direct agreements that hold up in real life.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
Gross held up a large jug of Clorox bleach and a brown bottle of hydrogen peroxide to show the jury what was used for disinfecting, then played a short video on how the process worked.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
The holdup on arresting Tyson is that the public defender originally assigned to Tyson also represents Jones.
—Morgan Rynor, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
The charges reportedly stem from Fontenette’s role in a violent robbery and assault of a Bulldog Express convenience store clerk in Nederland in October 2025, in which Fontenette and two others used a firearm to carry out the holdup.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
-
But Boston was postponed due to the pandemic and that June, Romond fell off a horse and landed hard on her feet, rupturing ACLs in both knees.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The weather postponed the second game of a three-game set against the Colorado Rockies.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On the mound for Monday’s 2-0 win, pitch count was the only thing that could stop Toma.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
-
If nerves come up, that’s part of the process, not a reason to stop.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
My enjoyment was always hampered by trying to manipulate and enlarge the grid.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Bodies were sighted, but fuel that could have been easily ignited and the natural terrain hampered rescue efforts to the point where even airboats were eventually prohibited from skimming the river of grass to help.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But without Dosunmu, the prospect of surviving this first-round series that is worthy of a West Finals matchup would be nonexistent.—
Sam Amick,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Baseball regional winners included Orangewood Christian, Deltona Trinity, and TFA, which scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 7th to survive.—
Steve Gorches,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Here's a breakdown of the 10 best remaining fits for Denver at their late-second-round slot Friday.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The woman used her hand to shield herself as Peavey continued to strike her with the remaining part of the brick before walking away.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For so long this season, Arsenal were flying high at the summit of the division and looked destined to end their 22-year wait for the title.—
Nnamdi Onyeagwara,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
There are flying cars held at bay by the power of telekenesis and Park teleporting, as the crew clumsily accept their new ‘hero’ roles and attempt to take on the villains threatening the peace of Haeseong City.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
O'Hara said those delays in January were isolated and a direct result of Operation Metro Surge's drain on local resources.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
That is what the delay was, technical difficulties.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The tradeoff has been rhythm — knowing when to attack and when to defer.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Gray Thompson cautioned that while survivors waiting for relief can defer taxes or amend past returns, resolving issues with government programs, such as qualifying for college financial aid, is much harder.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
