1
as in delays
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 obstacles
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the only holdback to starting the new job is my contractual commitment to my current position
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of holdbacks
And maybe this is an opportunity to voice something, and that is that independent films from the United States are more and more often being subjected to strategies which used to be dedicated to bigger, more commercial films, in terms of holdbacks.
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Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
21 June 2026
Universities will continue to deal with the 3% holdbacks — plus another 2% drop — for next fiscal year, according to the statement of purpose for the appropriations bill that senators passed Thursday.
—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
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
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
21 June 2026
Universities will continue to deal with the 3% holdbacks — plus another 2% drop — for next fiscal year, according to the statement of purpose for the appropriations bill that senators passed Thursday.
—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holdbacks
Noun
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Sarah Buck, Chicago Driving has become harder The rapid increase in bike lanes has made driving much more difficult and tedious, with numerous delays due to many streets being reduced to one lane in busy areas.
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Standing on the National Mall in the afternoon, before storm delays and fireworks, Donald Rasdall and Betsy Green peered at the history around them.
Noun
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Crews can drive directly into rivers or lakes without installing additional equipment, allowing the vehicle to continue moving even when water obstacles stand in the way.
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Remember, your perspective shapes your reality—choose to see opportunities over obstacles.
Noun
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Healthcare providers are always a reliable resource for patients, but many Medicare beneficiaries face long waits for appointments with doctors.
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Powell said China has such operations lined up and planned well in advance and waits for such triggering events.
Noun
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Ro said interactive chatbots have technological hurdles to overcome, such as a mismatch between their verbal comments and their facial expressions.
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Meanwhile, the technological and financial hurdles of fighting the sonic boom appeared insurmountable.
Noun
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The alternating placements of the piles/objects are very precise, which creates a series of chicanes, indicating they are not intended as obstructions but rather to prevent rapid ingress and egress by any vehicle toward the tunnels.
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Recent emergencies have included animals falling off a boat, lacerations from dog fights on the beach, clamshell ingestion, sand impaction, which can cause obstructions in the digestive system, and of course Lyme disease.
Noun
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Families, educators and advocates described barriers to accessing proper support and services.
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The Selma-to-Montgomery marches galvanized passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which did away with most barriers such as poll taxes and other forms of voter discrimination targeting Black Americans in the Deep South.
Noun
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Sitting around a table in the soundstage where the pilot for I Love Lucy was filmed, the six of them tailored the roles to the actors and infused the script with arguments, embarrassments, and confessions from their own relationships.
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The order to whitewash America’s historic sites of anything less than rosy about the nation’s past has led to some predictable embarrassments.
Cite this Entry
“Holdbacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holdbacks. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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