1
as in hampered
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
the only thing holding them back from joining the swim team is lack of transportation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stifled
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
held back her tears until she was alone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of held back
And clinical trials for far-UVC continuous disinfection, a different wavelength that can operate safely in occupied rooms, could change the economics entirely by eliminating the room-turnover delay that has held back current UV-C adoption.
—
Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
But plenty in Waddle’s circle believe he was held back in two straight sub-1,000 yard seasons the last two years with quarterback and organizational instability.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 14 May 2026
Residents who stood their ground held back forty-foot flames armed with only garden hoses.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
With this new tech, the cooling limit that has held back computer chip design can be broken.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026
Most of the works were sold off by the French state during the 1950s, according to the Musée d’Orsay’s website, but 2,200 were held back for safekeeping by the country’s national museums.
—Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
In the hallways, other shouting protesters were held back by Tennessee state troopers.
—Arkansas Online, 8 May 2026
There were also other incidents included in complaints to the athletic department pertaining to workouts that are currently being investigated, as well as allegations that the head coach held back on money that was supposed to be given to the players for meal expenses while traveling to away games.
—Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
Piggy, whom Golding gives no other name, gets one here — Nicholas — albeit held back until later in the series.
—Robert Lloyd, Boston Herald, 7 May 2026
Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
But plenty in Waddle’s circle believe he was held back in two straight sub-1,000 yard seasons the last two years with quarterback and organizational instability.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 14 May 2026
Residents who stood their ground held back forty-foot flames armed with only garden hoses.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
With this new tech, the cooling limit that has held back computer chip design can be broken.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026
Most of the works were sold off by the French state during the 1950s, according to the Musée d’Orsay’s website, but 2,200 were held back for safekeeping by the country’s national museums.
—Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
In the hallways, other shouting protesters were held back by Tennessee state troopers.
—Arkansas Online, 8 May 2026
There were also other incidents included in complaints to the athletic department pertaining to workouts that are currently being investigated, as well as allegations that the head coach held back on money that was supposed to be given to the players for meal expenses while traveling to away games.
—Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
Piggy, whom Golding gives no other name, gets one here — Nicholas — albeit held back until later in the series.
—Robert Lloyd, Boston Herald, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for held back
Verb
-
But most summit speakers treated circularity—a nebulous concept at the best of times—largely as an engineering challenge, one hampered by immature infrastructure, policy gaps and weak economics.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
-
The company is seeking to create a Duchenne gene therapy that is more effective and safer than Sarepta Therapeutics’ Elevidys, which has been hampered by safety concerns, particularly following the deaths of two recipients from liver failure.—
Jason Mast,
STAT,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
And while the state has seen strong GDP growth in recent months, business groups still worry that this economic success could be stifled by limited job growth and economic uncertainty in the wake of federal policy changes.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
-
Embarrassed in the first period, stifled in the second, the Avs did something that almost never happens in this town with this team.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The chaos that ensued has seen a clash of play styles, with some players trying to transcend their normal strategies and others falling victim to the same mistakes that have hindered their past quests for victory.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
15 May 2026
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White had hoped to have a college athlete career playing basketball and lacrosse but was hindered by injuries and several surgeries on her knees.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Ukraine's air force said in a post to Telegram on Thursday that Russia launched 675 drones and 56 missiles into the country overnight, of which 652 drones and 41 missiles were intercepted or suppressed.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
-
This not only suppressed uneven vertical phase distribution but also improved film uniformity across the devices.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Goalkeeper Bernd Leno was the victim both times, impeded by Kevin Schade and then Igor Thiago.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
-
In the Jazz Age, the culture and the style that Bradley was soaking up every night were information that white performers craved, but which racial segregation impeded them from accessing.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Then Doris and her family are sent off on the train, swallowed whole by the Holocaust.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
-
Even the celebrity CEOs building our AI future have been swallowed by forces bigger than themselves.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The Sixers were embarrassed by the Knicks 144-114 in Game 4 in front of a New York-heavy crowd in South Philadelphia.—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
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That this series has flipped on its head seemed almost impossible last Sunday, when the Celtics embarrassed Philadelphia in a Game 4 win on the Sixers’ home floor.—
Tobias Bass,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Vents should be kept free of leaves, dirt, and debris, and not be obstructed by vegetation.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
14 May 2026
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Prosecutors said Lopez Insua’s view was obstructed by the cargo, a deckhouse and crane on the barge.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Held back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/held%20back. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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