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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of holding pattern
The Yankees have been in a holding pattern through the first half of the offseason, with the club’s only external addition to this point being righty reliever Cade Winquest in the Rule 5 Draft.
—
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for holding pattern
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
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
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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The film merges family drama with atmospheric suspense.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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The current groups offer a lot less suspense in comparison, with Canada winning its group 73 percent of the time and USA winning 84 percent of the time.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
7 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 15 Feb. 2026.
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