as in delays
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
a holdup in construction due to the weather
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Recent Examples of holdups
Speaking on the Senate floor, Thune called on colleagues from both parties to avoid procedural holdups and allow the House to act quickly.
—
Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Over time, detectives have focused on a robbery crew linked to a string of fast-food holdups that summer.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
The slain suspect, Lahione Soto, is suspected in a string of nearby holdups in the minutes leading up to the shooting, police sources said.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2025
Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Over time, detectives have focused on a robbery crew linked to a string of fast-food holdups that summer.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
The slain suspect, Lahione Soto, is suspected in a string of nearby holdups in the minutes leading up to the shooting, police sources said.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holdups
Noun
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Major delays at airports across the country continue to persist due to staffing issues in air traffic controller towers and centers.—
Jon Haworth,
ABC News,
8 Nov. 2025
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After the modems were shut off in 2021, Forlini said, each community had to bring in the memory sticks in the tabulators to the county elections department for uploading, which brought delays in reporting unofficial results.—
Christina Hall,
Freep.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport warned travelers of up to three-hour waits for security screening this week.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
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Although crowding issues have improved since American Express restricted Centurion guest access, there are often still long waits.—
Lori Zaino,
CNBC,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Holdups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holdups. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.
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