holing up

present participle of hole up
as in lurking
to remain out of sight we'll hole up in the cellar and wait out the hurricane

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 holing up But after holing up Sunday in his apartment 90 steps from the beach in the historic Zona Romantica, Eure was ready to venture outside. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026 Amir and Miri share their memories of holing up in a lightless, airless concrete room with two children under the age of 5, trying desperately to remain quiet. Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2025 Now teens were holing up in garages across America in an attempt to create their own versions of the Fab Four. Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025 And at the very least, Damour said, kids won’t get a chance to develop the habit of holing up in their bedroom with their phone and never coming out. Rheana Murray, The Atlantic, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holing up
Verb
  • Audiences embraced the films for their creeping realism and slow-building scares, which transformed ordinary bedrooms, hallways and home security cameras into places where something terrifying might be lurking just outside the frame.
    Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Filmmaker Bennie Safdie was also seen lurking at the shows with a camera.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Rather than hiding from the toughest challenges, Hill confronted them head-on despite knowingly taking on some short-term pain and cost.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • With that $140, York bought himself a lifetime of punchlines at his expense and, presumably, years of hiding from the spotlight.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In any event, Bret is sufficiently moved to start lying and counting extra votes for Debbie.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Orozco, a deep-lying playmaker, broke into Cali’s first team last season.
    Andy Naylor, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Holing up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holing%20up. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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