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
But there are some potential holdups.
—
Alec Lewis, New York Times, 6 May 2026
Police have also charged 32-year-old Guardy Roman in connection with two of the holdups reported last fall.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026
His gang reportedly was involved in at least 20 murders, 100 holdups and 150 burglaries.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
With holdups at home, investors are exploring buildouts abroad, including in the energy-rich Gulf states.
—Jared Cohen, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
In her opinion, the holdups, delays and claim denials point to the city of Fort Worth trying to save money on treatment costs.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Jan. 2026
The rollout of these drone delivery programs has been infrequent due to regulatory holdups regarding the safety of the technology, and the ability for drones to operate in poor weather conditions.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 13 Jan. 2026
The good news is that all of these boarding holdups can be avoided.
—Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
However, economic uncertainty has slowed the process for some companies, and regulatory holdups have played a bigger role than anticipated.
—Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2025
Alec Lewis, New York Times, 6 May 2026
Police have also charged 32-year-old Guardy Roman in connection with two of the holdups reported last fall.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026
His gang reportedly was involved in at least 20 murders, 100 holdups and 150 burglaries.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
With holdups at home, investors are exploring buildouts abroad, including in the energy-rich Gulf states.
—Jared Cohen, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
In her opinion, the holdups, delays and claim denials point to the city of Fort Worth trying to save money on treatment costs.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Jan. 2026
The rollout of these drone delivery programs has been infrequent due to regulatory holdups regarding the safety of the technology, and the ability for drones to operate in poor weather conditions.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 13 Jan. 2026
The good news is that all of these boarding holdups can be avoided.
—Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
However, economic uncertainty has slowed the process for some companies, and regulatory holdups have played a bigger role than anticipated.
—Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holdups
Noun
-
Porter focused on cutting bureaucracy, calling for a single statewide development permit to streamline approvals and reduce delays.—
Noe Padilla,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
-
Police have asked those traveling around the area to plan for delays and try alternative routes if possible.—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Bisignano promised to bring waits down to under ten minutes.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
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Under Noem, lawmakers from both parties expressed frustration with long waits for assistance for disaster survivors, and for federal grant money to protect people across the country from floods, fires and storms.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holdups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holdups. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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