holing up

Definition of holing upnext
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 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
  • Something always seems to be lurking in the periphery, glinting off the edges of mirrors, flickering across those black wings offstage.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
  • Supply chain vulnerability Nowadays, there is a vulnerability lurking within the supply chain of the controllers themselves.
    Saman Zonouz, The Conversation, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Instead of hiding from mental illness, Kleckner’s artwork leaned into it.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Most think my cancer is just hiding.
    Howard Wolinsky, STAT, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The court also convicted Han of falsifying the martial law proclamation and destroying it and lying under oath.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 22 Jan. 2026
  • Moore was fired for the relationship and for lying during the university’s investigation.
    Larry Lage, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 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 23 Jan. 2026.

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