as in to limit
to set bounds or an upper limit for
efforts to hold down taxes keep running up against the legislature's ingrained unwillingness to cut spending
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fastener
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold down
Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2025
Some House Republicans have also started to consider the possibility of extending the 2017 tax cuts for only a few years to hold down the cost of the legislation, according to lawmakers involved in the deliberations.
—Andrew Duehren, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 18 Nov. 2023
If the hold-down clamp is not tightened properly, the battery could move, allowing the positive terminal to contact the clamp and short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire, the company said.
—CBS News, 1 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for hold down 
Verb
After the nurses each take a limb to hold down, Whitaker is able to inject the psych meds the guy needs, but not before the man pees all over him.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2025
Some House Republicans have also started to consider the possibility of extending the 2017 tax cuts for only a few years to hold down the cost of the legislation, according to lawmakers involved in the deliberations.
—Andrew Duehren, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Noun
SpaceX tested the water deluge system several times since April, including on a pair of hold-down engine tests with the Super Heavy booster in August.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 18 Nov. 2023
If the hold-down clamp is not tightened properly, the battery could move, allowing the positive terminal to contact the clamp and short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire, the company said.
—CBS News, 1 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for hold down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold down
Verb
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After that, the 551-foot, 228-passenger ship (limited to 200 on Polar cruises) sailed on to Galveston for some drydock prep before sailing to Antarctica from Buenos Aires in December.—
Mark Gauert,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2025
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Still, while the WHO has limited if any power to compel China or any other country to act, the body should have been more proactive in November and December.—
Jess Craig,
Vox,
17 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Economic barriers, restricted access to education, and regressive gender norms create additional hurdles.—
Kath Mackay,
Forbes,
11 Feb. 2025
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In addition to the substantial challenges posed by ongoing economic uncertainty and climate change, the president's policies could further intensify the situation, potentially restricting development, altering affordability and shifting market dynamics in unpredictable ways.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
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His vast business holdings include X, Tesla and SpaceX, as well as the satellite internet service provider Starlink.—
Will Weissert,
The Denver Post,
19 Feb. 2025
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This success has enabled the company to shift its approach to its holdings in the United States.—
George Avalos,
The Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
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But since then, federal stimulus money has dried up, costs have increased and budgets have tightened.—
Nick Coltrain,
The Denver Post,
16 Feb. 2025
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Once again, the majority of doc filmmakers were struggling, and budgets tightened.—
Addie Morfoot,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The game was on when Missouri held Texas A&M scoreless for more than five minutes to forge a 49-49 tie.—
Tom Murphy,
arkansasonline.com,
11 Feb. 2025
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Vancouver’s Thomas Gradin and Ivan Hlinka each score against Red Wings goalie Gilles Gilbert in the third period of a 4-4 tie at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena. 1988 — Wayne Gretzky gets his NHL-record ninth 100-point season.—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The animal was fitted with a collar containing a GPS tracker and released.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
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The cloth cutters are mostly men; the sewers, who do the more complex engineering, such as the cuffs and collars, are mostly women.—
Gary Shteyngart,
The Atlantic,
7 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near hold down
Cite this Entry
“Hold down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20down. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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