1
as in delay
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
there'll be a holdback on production until the new machinery is fully installed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the only holdback to starting the new job is my contractual commitment to my current position
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to hamper
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stifle
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
held back her tears until she was alone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of holdback
Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
If the house is not sold after 180 days, the company retains what remains of the 30% holdback.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
Joe Walsh, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
These two characters have been holding back all season and not talking to each other, and this was the moment to let everything out.
—William Earl, Variety, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for holdback
Noun
Add curtain holdbacks with playful animal details, or top your door hinges with decorative hinge caps for a knowing wink of whimsy.
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
If the house is not sold after 180 days, the company retains what remains of the 30% holdback.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
Instead, ships are being held back by safety risks, and most importantly, by a desire to protect their crews from danger.
—Joe Walsh, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
These two characters have been holding back all season and not talking to each other, and this was the moment to let everything out.
—William Earl, Variety, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for holdback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holdback
Noun
-
Caltrans advised drivers to use the prior exit to reach their destinations and avoid delays.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
As the delay stretched on, some players played cards.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While there wasn’t a 7-foot-4 obstacle blocking the lane, the Clippers still couldn’t get out of their own way and lost to the Spurs for the third time in less than a month, 118-99, at the Intuit Dome.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
-
At the same time, the physicists don’t see any insurmountable obstacles.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The moves have reportedly left the task force without prosecutors with national security experience, hampering its goal to root out American connections to the Hamas attacks (which included 40 Americans among its approximately 1,200 victims).—
Andrew Lapin,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Academic journals struggled to put out issues, stifled by high printing costs and staff layoffs, scrounging for enough articles to fill their pages and paying subscribers to read them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
There are those, however, who do not see regulation as a stifling force.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The service From the valets to the front desk, the wait staff to the receptionist at the spa, the service was consistently warm and responsive without being uptight.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
For the space fans who plan to watch the Artemis II launch, the wait for countdown may feel long.—
Emily A. Margolis,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There are technological hurdles for SpaceX to carry out its plans.—
The Los Angeles Times,
Boston Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
-
This is because their use can open a Pandora’s box of unexpected hurdles and new challenges in the garden.—
Rita Perwich,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The indictment includes the conspiracy count, which carries a maximum sentence of six years in federal prison, as well as several other counts of forcibly impeding a federal officer, each punishable by up to one year in federal prison.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Castle has become nearly impossible to impede.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The San Bernardino County Fire Department tested new technology on Monday designed to help suppress fires by using sound waves.—
Joy Benedict,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Acknowledge anxiety, sadness or grief with openness, instead of trying to suppress those feelings or fueling them with harsh self-criticism.—
J. David Creswell,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holdback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holdback. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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