HOLING UP Synonyms: 17 Similar and Opposite Words

holing up

verb

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

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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

The ballista spider spends its days lurking in webs on the undersides of leaves in the rainforests of north Queensland, Australia.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 6 July 2026
But after his imprisonment, Lilburne’s Proposition became the defining cause of the radical Leveller movement, which subsequently dedicated itself to unlocking all of the revolutionary possibilities lurking in the word equal.

— Teresa M. Bejan, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026

Definition of lurking

Verb

Failing to disclose or intentionally hiding assets can make a prenup more vulnerable to being challenged in court.

— Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 6 July 2026
The find suggests one of NASA’s most successful planet hunters may still have plenty of surprises hiding in its archives.

— Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 6 July 2026

Definition of hiding

Verb

Prolonged heavy rain will result in ponding of water on roadways, standing water in low lying areas, and minor flooding of creeks and streams.

— NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026
Greenland’s location is key Greenland sits off the northeastern coast of Canada, with more than two-thirds of its territory lying within the Arctic Circle.

— Danica Kirka, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of lying

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holing

holing up

holistic

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“Holing up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holing%20up. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of holing up

verb

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