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
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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
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Recent Examples of hold up
Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
The company said growing demand for power, supply chain and other issues holding up new power sources and plant outages contributed to the need to keep Comanche 2 open longer than planned.
—Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2026
Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 4 Feb. 2026
That’s the real holdup with kids Hot Stove Season.
—Caleb Harris, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Verb
Davis, who is set to graduate in May with a degree in Communications before embarking on a career in coaching and/or pro basketball overseas, has held up his end of the proverbial bargain.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
The company said growing demand for power, supply chain and other issues holding up new power sources and plant outages contributed to the need to keep Comanche 2 open longer than planned.
—Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
Even worse, disaster reimbursement delays, delayed housing repairs, and the holdup of infrastructure rebuilding have fueled anger in the communities that are hardest hit.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 4 Feb. 2026
That’s the real holdup with kids Hot Stove Season.
—Caleb Harris, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
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There had been a fear coming into the week that the players might cause a work stoppage that would have postponed the season-opening game.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Third, February’s report will include some annual revisions that were postponed due to the historic government shutdown this past fall.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Kuemper stopped 21 shots for the Kings, who entered the night one point out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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Rather than stopping disagreements from happening, this aspect is about repairing any damage left behind.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
-
When Cross-Goldenberg asked if the speedy trial violation that tanked the state case had to do with a reluctant witness, Reid said the case was hampered by a problem with the discovery process, since state prosecutors didn’t hand over material to the defense in a timely fashion.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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McDonald is survived by his wife of 43 years, Kathy; his five children, Seven, Devin, Ryan, Tara Taylor and Emily; a brother, Billy; and four grandchildren.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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She is survived by her husband, Todd Corman, and their two children.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Some questions may be adapted into full columns, and transcripts of the chats remain available after each session concludes.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
27 Mar. 2026
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As electric vehicle makers struggle to remain relevant, a new competitor is about to hit California’s roads.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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One diner, who works in the hospitality industry and is flying across the country to attend the pop-up and visit friends, is keeping his seat.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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In another set of images by photographer Ian Recchio, who goes by @Lookunderocks on Instagram, another aircraft, described as a business-jet-type platform, was seen flying below the refueling formation.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The delay is limiting discussion on an important topic, said Stephanie Richard, a clinical professor who leads the Sunita Jain Anti-Trafficking Initiative at Loyola Law School, which released its own comprehensive report on human trafficking and the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics in December.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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So, everyday purchases such as clothing, phone cases, small appliances, and shoes remain subject to tariffs and customs delays.—
Jay Caruso,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But there have also been recent moments when Eklund has deferred a bit too often, opting for an extra pass when a shot on net would have been the better option.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
9 Mar. 2026
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Health policy experts say the federal government's actions to withhold and defer funding break with normal fraud-handling precedent.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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