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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hold up
Doug Feinberg, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024
In another scene, Amelia appears to be lifting Jenner into the air (but Jenner, however, is actually being held up by pulleys) in black sequined outfits.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
Cal Matters, The Mercury News, 3 Sep. 2024
Those officials blamed most of the holdups on the humanitarian groups for not having enough capacity to get food and medicine in.
—Brett Murphy, ProPublica, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hold up 
Verb
The student section, during the final minute of the game, held up cards that spelled out 1,217.
—Doug Feinberg, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024
In another scene, Amelia appears to be lifting Jenner into the air (but Jenner, however, is actually being held up by pulleys) in black sequined outfits.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
Bradford and protesters who backed his bills blamed the holdup on fear that the governor might veto them.
—Cal Matters, The Mercury News, 3 Sep. 2024
Those officials blamed most of the holdups on the humanitarian groups for not having enough capacity to get food and medicine in.
—Brett Murphy, ProPublica, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hold up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold up
Verb
-
Thanks to to novel coronavirus global pandemic, Hugh Jackman’s The Music Man is postponed to spring 2021.Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
-
Gallant was scheduled to meet with his U.S. counterpart, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in Washington in early October — a trip Gallant initiated — but it was postponed at Netanyahu’s request.Max Burman, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
Donations dwindle, while volunteers from the opposite side of the country stop coming or divert to another disaster.Jess Craig, Vox, 17 Nov. 2024
-
Musk—who sued OpenAI in March—now alleges that OpenAI is attempting to eliminate its competitors by stopping its investors from funding rival AI firms.Will McCurdy, PCMAG, 16 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
Production was also hampered during the writers’ and actors’ strikes last year, further delaying Season 3.Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2024
-
Officials aim to finalize the agreement by 2026, but disputes over binding commitments have hampered talks.Amir Daftari, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
Business leaders must prepare both the body and the organ to give each the best chance of surviving and thriving together.Expert Panel®, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
-
The artists will survive, and who can blame them for taking the opportunity?Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
Nonetheless, high prices remain a concern, with consumers saying lower prices was their top wish for the new year.Lucia Mutikani, USA TODAY, 28 Nov. 2024
-
Despite the challenges ahead, Peters remains optimistic about the BOP’s future.Walter Pavlo, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
This is the first of a new type of rideshare program flying to that orbit that augments SpaceX’s Transporter program that flies to SSO.Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 27 Nov. 2024
-
There is finally a chill in the air and snow flying around in some places.Marshall Shepherd, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
The latest: Travelers heading out of the airport should expect delays on North Harbor Drive near West Laurel Street/Anchor Island this week.Kate Murphy, Axios, 19 Nov. 2024
-
Nvidia previously faced production and shipping delays for Blackwell due to a design flaw, Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang said in October, after media reports surfaced in August.Britney Nguyen, Quartz, 19 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
Sometimes settlement of patent disputes involves agreements between originator biologic and biosimilar manufacturers to defer market entry.Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
-
This concept gained prominence in 1980s Japan, when, during a period of economic upheaval, the government allowed companies to defer debt payments.Robert Gorin, WWD, 30 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near hold up
Cite this Entry
“Hold up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20up. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share