1
as in to postpone
to assign to a later time
held up mail delivery until we had a permanent address
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stop
to bring (something) to a standstill
traffic was held up for miles by the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to hamper
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
if lack of transportation is the only thing holding you up, I can give you a ride
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to survive
to continue to operate or to meet one's needs
the air conditioner held up this year, but it's not going to make it through another summer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to remain
to remain indefinitely in existence or in the same state
the storm's hurricane-force winds did not hold up once it hit the coast
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6
as in to fly
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
an argument that won't hold up in court
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in delay
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
a holdup in construction due to the weather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold up
Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
In recent months, American consumers and small businesses have suffered as their goods, particularly lower cost but still time-sensitive items, have been held up waiting to be cleared by Customs.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 9 Feb. 2026
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Jan. 2026
The rollout of these drone delivery programs has been infrequent due to regulatory holdups regarding the safety of the technology, and the ability for drones to operate in poor weather conditions.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Verb
Water level changes on Catawba basin The broader Catawba River system, Jones said, is still holding up for now.
—Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
In recent months, American consumers and small businesses have suffered as their goods, particularly lower cost but still time-sensitive items, have been held up waiting to be cleared by Customs.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
In her opinion, the holdups, delays and claim denials point to the city of Fort Worth trying to save money on treatment costs.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Jan. 2026
The rollout of these drone delivery programs has been infrequent due to regulatory holdups regarding the safety of the technology, and the ability for drones to operate in poor weather conditions.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
-
Airlines canceled flights and cultural events were postponed as Cuba endures its worst fuel shortage in years, harming tourism and the broader economy.—
Andrea Rodriguez,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Plano postponed its vote on a vendor Monday when negotiations with DART started looking up.—
Lilly Kersh,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
From open models to real-world applications, China has shown that constraints have not stopped it from gaining ground.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
From there, James made second-team All-NBA the next season and didn’t stop landing on one of the three teams until this season.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Democratic lawmakers condemn Maxwell’s plea Democrats in the House Oversight Committee denounced Maxwell’s request for a presidential pardon and suggested that Trump’s refusal to rule out such a possibility has hampered the committee’s inquiry.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
10 Feb. 2026
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As has been the case many a time during the season, giveaways hampered Golden State for much of the night.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
If St Pauli survive relegation this season, this will be remembered as a pivotal performance.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Gore is survived by his wife and three children.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Arlington County Police Department announced the news on Thursday following a monthslong criminal investigation that remains active.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
-
These arginine-tyrosine interactions remain active as the fiber solidifies.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Carney ordered government buildings to fly flags at half-mast for the next week.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Two airline sources said that airlines were given the impression that the closure was done out of an abundance of caution due to the FAA's inability to predict where drones might be flying.—
Brian Dakss,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Ashley Williams, executive director of Just Transition Northwest Indiana, responded to the delay in a Thursday email.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Some say long delays are affecting emergency response.—
WGME-TV Staff,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The selection of an acting clerk and a resolution to update the city’s bank signatories were deferred until an acting mayor is selected.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The Patriots won the coin toss and elected to defer.—
Doug Kyed,
Hartford Courant,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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