1
as in suspension
a state of temporary inactivity
repair work on the bridge was in a holding pattern for the duration of the winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delay
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
the couple has been trapped in this holding pattern for six months, as adoption officials create more red tape
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of holding pattern
Some of the most common causes for the delays were the gate not being ready, taxiway congestion, holding patterns, runway queues, crew or equipment delay and weather restrictions.
—
Marina Watts, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
Stock markets are largely in a holding pattern today as investors wait for the rate decision.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 10 Dec. 2025
What the new coach faces The Hornets are in a holding pattern of sorts in football.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 5 Dec. 2025
Inbound flights that had been placed in holding patterns were cleared to land, and no cancellations were reported.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for holding pattern
Marina Watts, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
Stock markets are largely in a holding pattern today as investors wait for the rate decision.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 10 Dec. 2025
What the new coach faces The Hornets are in a holding pattern of sorts in football.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 5 Dec. 2025
Inbound flights that had been placed in holding patterns were cleared to land, and no cancellations were reported.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for holding pattern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding pattern
Noun
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At its core is a full suspension aluminum frame engineered for real off-road dominance.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Feb. 2026
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The agency has not specified if the suspension of the police powers of Blanchette and Leslie are due to violations of its policies regarding pursuits and forcibly ending them.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Ashley Williams, executive director of Just Transition Northwest Indiana, responded to the delay in a Thursday email.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
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Some say long delays are affecting emergency response.—
WGME-TV Staff,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Who's competing next Part of the suspense of the team competition is finding out who each country will choose to compete in each category, which is usually announced about 24 hours in advance.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
6 Feb. 2026
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But not even Jones isn’t funny or magnetic enough to sustain attention without the support of real suspense and allure.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Wiles, who was racing just four spots behind Vonn, was forced to endure the wait atop the mountain then race just minutes after a helicopter carried her teammate away.—
Becky Sullivan,
NPR,
10 Feb. 2026
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Officials said 311 wait times were also cut in half to help New Yorkers who didn't have a warm place to stay.—
Christina Fan,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The company says this infrastructure-free approach allows operators to deploy the system quickly across existing cold storage facilities.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
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Police in the Denver metro area are searching for a group of thieves who are targeting Hispanic businesses and taking everything from the cash in the register to alcohol in cold storage.—
Gabriela Vidal,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holding pattern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20pattern. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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