holdback 1 of 2

noun

ˈhōl(d)-ˌbak How to pronounce holdback (audio)
Definition of holdbacknext
1
as in delay
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

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2
as in obstacle
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

hold back

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to hamper
to create difficulty for the work or activity of the only thing holding them back from joining the swim team is lack of transportation

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2
as in to stifle
to refrain from openly showing or uttering held back her tears until she was alone

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Example 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 holdback
Noun
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
Verb
Hundreds of youths smashed store fronts, set fires and caused damage to at least four government ministry buildings during running battles with riot police, who used tear gas and water cannon to try and hold back the crowds. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 Primaries Kenny and Christina have long wanted to come to Thailand, but have been held back by Christina’s lethal nut allergy. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for holdback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holdback
  1. delay
  2. obstacle
  3. hamper
  4. stifle
  5. wait
  6. hurdle
  7. impede
  8. suppress
Noun
  • Musk has repeatedly treated the sports car as a lower priority than Tesla’s other projects, while also blaming supply chain shortages for earlier delays.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The freight forwarder said Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Port is congested with 10-to-12-day landside delays after cargo is discharged.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of delay
Noun
  • Icy weather, snowstorms, obstructive foliage and rugged terrain along the wild Rockies were just some of the obstacles Ben Nickell and Anne Koski faced on a 10-year journey to climb the highest point in each of Idaho’s 44 counties.
    — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Long before launch, the team faced obstacles that nearly thwarted the endeavor — chiefly, two rejections from NASA — before finally securing the green light for the $1 billion project under the New Frontiers Program in 2011.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of obstacle
Verb
  • Capturing towns and roads would hamper Tigrayan fighters without necessarily securing the vast rural areas where the rebel forces regrouped during the previous war, Taylor said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Otherwise, the chemicals can react against each other and hamper recyclability, or worse, release harmful byproducts into the environment.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of hamper
Verb
  • Debt acts as a ceiling on private investment, further stifling growth.
    — Masood Ahmed, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The weather served up truly stifling heat, including a stretch of highs in the mid-90s, and a few days of air quality emergency due to wildfire smoke drifting across the upper Midwest.
    — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of stifle
Noun
  • Brokers no longer face a mandatory 12-hour wait period between educational seminars and sales presentations.
    — Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026
  • More intricate jobs can take longer, as my testing shows, but the results reward the wait.
    — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of wait
Noun
  • Our main hurdle has always been convincing people to pay for a cinema ticket to watch two episodes of a series.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Most of the K-pop festivals that have been announced over the last few years never went ahead due to various logistical hurdles.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of hurdle
Verb
  • Past popes have written letters of resignation in case of a severe illness or medical emergency that impedes them from carrying out their duties.
    — Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Attorney General Blanche has instructed the Civil Division to identify state and local laws, policies and practices that facilitate violations of federal law or impede lawful federal operations, the department said.
    — Eric Henderson, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of impede
Verb
  • Optional filters can be slotted in each module (when available) to suppress city lighting, adjust for solar imagery, and cater for different wavelengths.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
  • But Uthmeier contends an overly broad reading of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause has been twisted into a tool to suppress Christians and other believers.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of suppress

Browse Nearby Words

holdalls
holdback
hold back
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Cite this Entry

“Holdback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holdback. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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