HOLDING BACK Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

holding back

verb

present participle of hold back

as in impeding

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stifling

to refrain from openly showing or uttering held back her tears until she was alone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 holding back Soaring prices stemming from the conflict have forced African countries to keep interest rates elevated, holding back growth and adding to already high borrowing costs. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Marsh was a fearless critic, rarely holding back even with his most caustic and controversial views. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2026 The Legislature’s two appropriation committees do not hold public votes before advancing or holding back measures on their desk. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 13 Aug. 2026 She is baffled by the way her friends Moe and Fumina rail against their parents, especially when Yuko is always holding back at home, forever walking on eggshells. — Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026 The reduction in state investments and holding back promised funding to cover our faculty raises will have detrimental consequences to our institution, to us as students, and to the state’s future health care workforce. — Opinion, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2026 But holding back defers crucial conversations about goals, methods, and the limits of American aid. — Dafna H. Rand, Foreign Affairs, 4 Aug. 2026 Forty-five percent cite fear of becoming replaceable as their reason for holding back, and only 16% believe their company is adopting AI for genuine business value rather than hype or competitive pressure. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 July 2026 The selloff in chip stocks and AI-beneficiaries was holding back the market’s attempt at a rally. — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 27 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding back

Verb

Lynda Albertson, an art-crime analyst, said the works are instantly recognizable, impeding any effort to sell them through reputable channels.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Lynda Albertson, an art crime analyst, said the works are instantly recognizable, impeding any effort to sell them through reputable channels.

— Colleen Barry, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of impeding

Verb

Several horses collapsed from heat exhaustion after competing in stifling heat in the middle of the day during the cross-country phase of the eventing.

— Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Employees hide saved time to avoid more work or scrutiny, stifling innovation.

— Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of stifling

Verb

Birds visiting the feeder can get the goo on their wings, hampering their ability to fly and possibly leading to their untimely deaths.

— Joan Morris, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
Rescuers will use an extrication device and a helicopter, Fathur said, adding that there were no reports of people missing and no challenges hampering the search.

— Reuters, NBC news, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of hampering

Verb

Some popular advice suggests parents on appetite-suppressing medication simply not talk about it or offer vague statements about taking care of their health.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
In that sense, emotional intelligence becomes less about suppressing feelings than directing them productively.

— Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of suppressing

Verb

Those include numbness and tingling around the mouth and fingertips, trouble walking, talking or swallowing, sometimes weakness in the upper or lower extremity, balance issues or struggles with episodic memory.

— Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026
According to the nonprofit Poison Control, the dangers of swallowing glass depend on the size and sharpness of the pieces.

— Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of swallowing

Verb

Many of the voters of the other political parties have been lending him their support, partly in the hope of embarrassing Farage.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Anthrax, Sublime, and Red Hot Chili Peppers were easy and often embarrassing examples, but the funky waka-waka guitar sound extended to Rage Against the Machine, Green Jellÿ, and Suicidal Tendencies (and their side project, Infectious Grooves).

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of embarrassing

Verb

For example, a local retailer can combine sales history, seasonal trends and inventory data to identify which products to reorder and which are tying up cash.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Richardson turned his back to her and appeared to be tying up the string of his pants.

— Molly Hensley-Clancy, ProPublica, 20 Aug. 2026