as in survived
to continue to operate or to meet one's needs
we hoped our supply of firewood would hold out until power was restored luckily, the old outboard motor held out till we made it to shore
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Recent Examples of held out
Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II handled most of Miami’s tailback workload while Achane was held out.
—
Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 19 May 2026
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo was held out of the race, leaving a wide-open field of 14 horses to contest the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, which was held at Laurel Park this year because Pimlico in Baltimore is being rebuilt.
—Noah Trister, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Christie held out his hand to Springsteen like other fans, but the 76-year-old musician didn't seem to acknowledge the Republican politician.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Chisholm, however, went 1-for-3 with a double on Wednesday after being held out of the starting lineup on Tuesday.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
Val held out her hand for the pencil.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
When the time came for Gaff to try a new flavor, one colleague held out a small dish, Logothetti said.
—Nina Giraldo, CNN Money, 10 May 2026
Her first trial ended in a mistrial in 1990 after two of the jurors held out for manslaughter charges, citing a lack of intent.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
If things continue to progress at the current pace, there’s hope that Hammond, who was cleared to throw in March but held out of spring practice, could be ready for Week 1, according to a source briefed on his recovery.
—Manny Navarro, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 19 May 2026
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo was held out of the race, leaving a wide-open field of 14 horses to contest the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, which was held at Laurel Park this year because Pimlico in Baltimore is being rebuilt.
—Noah Trister, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Christie held out his hand to Springsteen like other fans, but the 76-year-old musician didn't seem to acknowledge the Republican politician.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Chisholm, however, went 1-for-3 with a double on Wednesday after being held out of the starting lineup on Tuesday.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
Val held out her hand for the pencil.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
When the time came for Gaff to try a new flavor, one colleague held out a small dish, Logothetti said.
—Nina Giraldo, CNN Money, 10 May 2026
Her first trial ended in a mistrial in 1990 after two of the jurors held out for manslaughter charges, citing a lack of intent.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
If things continue to progress at the current pace, there’s hope that Hammond, who was cleared to throw in March but held out of spring practice, could be ready for Week 1, according to a source briefed on his recovery.
—Manny Navarro, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for held out
Verb
-
Jimmy Kimmel has survived a major scandal and his show is still on the air.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
19 May 2026
-
Robert Isaacs has survived an eventful life.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
This lasted until 2023, when new management company Storey Hotel Management (who also run Nanuku Resort in Fiji and the Ameswell Hotel in California) took over, and the resort has maintained its elegance and quiet luxury.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
-
However, Hernández’s prolonged offensive slump to start the season lasted long enough that, earlier this homestand, Roberts dropped him to the eighth spot in the order.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Both starters were reasonably sharp, but the bats generally prevailed Tuesday in a back-and-forth game in Hoover, Alabama.—
Jace Denison,
Kansas City Star,
19 May 2026
-
In late November, three weeks after Democrats reclaimed the House, Jeffries prevailed by ten votes—becoming both caucus chairman and Pelosi’s heir apparent.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Held out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/held%20out. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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