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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stifle
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
held back her tears until she was alone
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of holdback
Martin Dale, Variety, 11 Jan. 2023
The manufacturer pays the holdback price to the dealership once the dealer sells the vehicle.
—Elizabeth Rivelli, Car and Driver, 3 Feb. 2023
Brian Welk, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2025
From limitation to expansion Don’t hold back on your dreams.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for holdback 
Noun
France Télévisions also has first-window exclusivity for the French-language version, with a one-year holdback.
—Martin Dale, Variety, 11 Jan. 2023
The manufacturer pays the holdback price to the dealership once the dealer sells the vehicle.
—Elizabeth Rivelli, Car and Driver, 3 Feb. 2023
Verb
But the film, which stars Jennifer Lopez and Diego Luna, is holding back on early screenings while banking on this being an exciting discovery.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2025
From limitation to expansion Don’t hold back on your dreams.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for holdback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holdback
Noun
-
In the face of the delay of bringing the mission to its full operational strength of 2,500, the security situation continues to deteriorate.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
25 Jan. 2025
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Even short delays can be a problem in scientific research, said Rebecca Burdine, a professor of molecular biology at Princeton University.—
Alex Knapp,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Discrediting the science As the industry’s recruitment of spokespeople aimed to stem the tide of local gas bans, SoCalGas faced another obstacle: Mounting research that revealed the harmful health effects of gas stoves.—
Ari Plachta,
Sacramento Bee,
17 Jan. 2025
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Their change of heart reflects the inconvenient practical obstacles to suddenly cutting off access to a popular platform.—
Johanna Costigan,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Which dyes carry more risks than others is also unclear due to the lack of research and funding, which is hampered by industry lobbying, added Mande, CEO of Nourish Science, a nongovernmental organization focused on US nutrition crises.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN,
17 Jan. 2025
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Plus, Henry is likely hampered for being too good too consistently for so long that his market simply remains flat.—
Larry Holder,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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However, many governments still subsidize the harmful status quo and actively stifle innovation.—
Rose Marcario,
TIME,
16 Jan. 2025
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The Huskies also kept up their stifling defensive effort through the third quarter, though UConn’s less-experienced lineups struggled to limit St. John’s down the stretch.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Long waits exist for defendants looking for capacity restoration services, and accessing mental healthcare in jail is difficult.—
Kallie Cox,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Jan. 2025
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This week has felt like an eternity, but today Nintendo finally ended the excruciating wait for an official Switch 2 reveal.—
Jason Evangelho,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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An administration in the future could resurrect the rule and avoid some of the procedural hurdles.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN,
24 Jan. 2025
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Several parties are in contention even as potential buyers face a litany of legal hurdles and barriers.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Walker, in fact, explains that one of the by-products of alcohol metabolism is a class of chemicals, known as aldehydes, that are especially prone to impede REM sleep.—
Adam Gopnik,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
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These teams all have franchise players to build around and some contracts that would impede them from fully committing to the tear-down process.—
Shayna Goldman,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Demographers have found little, if any, evidence that EWIs harm or suppress the employment or wages of local people.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
26 Jan. 2025
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To keep shooting, Pasha must suppress his rage and only dares to carry out small protests — such as playing the U.S. national anthem sung by Lady Gaga — but those are enough to earn him suspicion.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
25 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near holdback
Cite this Entry
“Holdback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holdback. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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