holdup
1 of 2noun
hold·up ˈhōld-ˌəp 
1
: delay
2
: a robbery carried out at gunpoint
hold up
2 of 2verb
held up; holding up; holds up
transitive verb
1
: to rob at gunpoint
2
: delay, impede
3
: to call attention to : single out
his work was held up to ridicule
hold this up as perfection 
The Times Literary Supplement (London)
The Times Literary Supplement (London)intransitive verb
: to continue in the same condition without failing or losing effectiveness or force
she's holding up under the strain
music that holds up twenty years later
Synonyms
Noun
- delay
- detainment
- detention
- holdback
- holding pattern
- wait
Verb
- defer
- delay
- hold off (on)
- hold over
- lay over
- postpone
- put off
- put over
- remit
- shelve
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun There have been a series of holdups at local banks. a holdup in construction due to the weather Verb held up mail delivery until we had a permanent address traffic was held up for miles by the accident
Recent Examples on the Web Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al, 8 July 2022 The holdup of shipments because of the war has worsened rising food prices worldwide and threatened hunger and political instability in developing nations. Susie Blann, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Aug. 2022 The holdup of food shipments because of the war has worsened rising food prices worldwide and threatened hunger and political instability in developing nations. Susie Blann And Suzan Fraser, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Aug. 2022 If that type of holdup persists, Waxenberg suggested the MARB may need to ask state lawmakers to pass special legislation and appoint a board or individual to run the city for the state. Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 29 July 2022 The holdup has clouded U.S. investment plans for a number of big chip manufacturers. Dan Strumpf, WSJ, 24 July 2022 Authorities initially sought the serial violent robbers after a holdup occurred in Ontario just after midnight Monday, followed by a robbery at a 7-Eleven store in Upland about 40 minutes later. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2022 Jagger Freeman, 28, planned the Feb. 12, 2019, holdup that resulted in Detective Brian Simonsen's death, Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz said. Fox News, 7 July 2022 Police are trying to track down an armed robbery suspect sought in connection with a holdup at a northwest Atlanta gas station last month. Matt Bruce, ajc, 21 June 2022 oregonlive, 16 Sep. 2022 If Mayfield and Christian McCaffrey can hold up, the Panthers have a playoff shot. Richard Morin, USA TODAY, 9 Sep. 2022 The court gets slippery because of sandbags that players pile on the bottom of the poles to hold up that net, leading Clark to once slip like a cartoon character on a banana peel while running lines with the team. Luca Evans, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2022 Although many aspects of the series’ effects work hold up regardless of the venue — the attack of a sea serpent in the second episode was a highlight for me — other pieces feel overlit and flat. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Aug. 2022 Congress should tighten the rules on standing so that activists can’t hold up safe infrastructure over minor issues. Mario Loyola, WSJ, 31 Aug. 2022 While some herbs can hold up in the microwave, delicate herbs will wither and turn brown. Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2022 But those networks have met a tough match in the covid era, when shortages on the other side of the world can hold up just about anything. Washington Post, 8 Aug. 2022 For the Monaco National Day Celebration, the twins made sweet signs to hold up sharing their love for their mother, Princess Charlene, who was stuck for six months in South Africa due to a medical issue that prevented her from flying. Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, 23 July 2022 See More
Noun
The holdup happened at PNC Bank on 3501 Roosevelt Blvd. Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al, 8 July 2022 The holdup of shipments because of the war has worsened rising food prices worldwide and threatened hunger and political instability in developing nations. Susie Blann, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Aug. 2022 The holdup of food shipments because of the war has worsened rising food prices worldwide and threatened hunger and political instability in developing nations. Susie Blann And Suzan Fraser, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Aug. 2022 If that type of holdup persists, Waxenberg suggested the MARB may need to ask state lawmakers to pass special legislation and appoint a board or individual to run the city for the state. Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 29 July 2022 The holdup has clouded U.S. investment plans for a number of big chip manufacturers. Dan Strumpf, WSJ, 24 July 2022 Authorities initially sought the serial violent robbers after a holdup occurred in Ontario just after midnight Monday, followed by a robbery at a 7-Eleven store in Upland about 40 minutes later. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2022 Jagger Freeman, 28, planned the Feb. 12, 2019, holdup that resulted in Detective Brian Simonsen's death, Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz said. Fox News, 7 July 2022 Police are trying to track down an armed robbery suspect sought in connection with a holdup at a northwest Atlanta gas station last month. Matt Bruce, ajc, 21 June 2022 Verb
If the Bobcats defensive front can’t hold up against OSU, the Beavers might run all day and never look back. oregonlive, 16 Sep. 2022 If Mayfield and Christian McCaffrey can hold up, the Panthers have a playoff shot. Richard Morin, USA TODAY, 9 Sep. 2022 The court gets slippery because of sandbags that players pile on the bottom of the poles to hold up that net, leading Clark to once slip like a cartoon character on a banana peel while running lines with the team. Luca Evans, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2022 Although many aspects of the series’ effects work hold up regardless of the venue — the attack of a sea serpent in the second episode was a highlight for me — other pieces feel overlit and flat. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Aug. 2022 Congress should tighten the rules on standing so that activists can’t hold up safe infrastructure over minor issues. Mario Loyola, WSJ, 31 Aug. 2022 While some herbs can hold up in the microwave, delicate herbs will wither and turn brown. Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2022 But those networks have met a tough match in the covid era, when shortages on the other side of the world can hold up just about anything. Washington Post, 8 Aug. 2022 For the Monaco National Day Celebration, the twins made sweet signs to hold up sharing their love for their mother, Princess Charlene, who was stuck for six months in South Africa due to a medical issue that prevented her from flying. Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, 23 July 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
Noun
1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1851, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Kids Definition
holdup
noun
hold·up ˈhōld-ˌəp
1
: robbery by an armed robber
2
: delay entry 1
Why aren't we moving? What's the holdup?
Legal Definition
holdup 1 of 2
noun
hold·up
: an attempted or completed robbery carried out with the use of force and especially at gunpoint
hold up
2 of 2transitive verb
: to make the victim of a holdup : rob at gunpoint
holding up 1 of 2
adjective
as in holding on
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- holding on
- running on
- keeping up
- lasting
- enduring
- abiding
- persisting
- sticking around
- residual
- lingering
- staying
- biding
- remaining
- continuing
- carrying through
- perduring
- leftover
- surviving
- tarrying
- prevailing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- dying (down)
- letting up
- waning
- winding up
- subsiding
- moderating
- abating
- ebbing
- dying
- ending
- passing
- finishing
- concluding
- closing
- stopping
- terminating
- leaving off
- lapsing
- expiring
- quitting
- discontinuing
- ceasing
- desisting
holding up
2 of 2verb
1
as in postponing
to assign to a later time held up mail delivery until we had a permanent address Synonyms & Similar Words
- postponing
- holding over
- delaying
- putting over
- laying over
- putting off
- holding off (on)
- deferring
- shelving
- waiting
- remitting
- hesitating
- stretching (out)
- suspending
- pausing
- slowing
- retarding
- staying
- lengthening
- prolonging
- detaining
- protracting
- extending
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- working (on)
- dealing (with)
- doing
- deciding (upon)
- acting
2
as in stopping
to bring (something) to a standstill traffic was held up for miles by the accident Synonyms & Similar Words
- stopping
- pulling up
- halting
- stalling
- bringing up
- drawing up
- catching
- fetching up
- checking
- blocking
- staying
- arresting
- holding back
- cutting off
- stilling
- hindering
- holding
- turning back
- suspending
- choking off
- impeding
- ending
- obstructing
- stemming
- snagging
- baffling
- balking
- detaining
- clogging
- blockading
- concluding
- damming
- reining (in)
- terminating
- bottlenecking
- suppressing
- discontinuing
- stunting
- repressing
- squashing
- calling
- squelching
- stanching
- staunching
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- keeping (on)
- keeping up
- running on
- continuing
- following through (with)
- carrying on
- moving
- proceeding
- persisting
- progressing
- marching
- advancing
- going along
- pushing
- faring
- wending
- driving
- stirring
- actuating
- propelling
- spurring
- goading
- impelling
- budging
3
as in impeding
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
- impeding
- hampering
- hindering
- tying up
- holding back
- embarrassing
- obstructing
- tieing up
- handicapping
- giving a hard time
- interfering (with)
- cramping one's style
- trammelling
- cramping
- inhibiting
- delaying
- manacling
- clogging
- encumbering
- restraining
- disrupting
- hobbling
- handcuffing
- shackling
- fettering
- constraining
- blocking
- stymieing
- trammeling
- thwarting
- frustrating
- binding
- short-circuiting
- hog-tying
- curbing
- checking
- tying
- braking
- reining
- bogging (down)
- balking
- tethering
- retarding
- stifling
- retaining
- tieing
- chaining
- barricading
- baffling
- hedging (in)
- strangling
- hemming (in)
- haltering
- leashing
- arresting
- blockading
- sabotaging
- confining
- derailing
- foiling
- choking
- roadblocking
- miring
- stumping
- suffocating
- smothering
- repressing
- muzzling
- suppressing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- helping
- assisting
- facilitating
- aiding
- opening
- making way
- clearing
- releasing
- freeing
- liberating
- promoting
- unplugging
- smoothing
- loosening
- encouraging
- unclogging
- unstopping
- furthering
- untying
- untieing
4
as in surviving
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
- surviving
- lasting
- holding out
- prevailing
- keeping up
- carrying on
- hanging in
- remaining
- getting on
- getting along
- continuing
- making out
- persisting
- going
- holding on
- bearing up
- getting by
- hanging on
- running on
- managing
- drawing out
- coping
- enduring
- stretching
- lingering
- persevering
- faring
- abiding
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- running out
- giving out
- petering (out)
- failing
- breaking down
- dying
- going out
- stopping
- fizzling
- breaking
- collapsing
- crashing
- expiring
- running down
- conking (out)
- stalling
- cutting out
- waning
5
as in remaining
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
- remaining
- lasting
- continuing
- holding on
- running on
- keeping up
- persisting
- sticking around
- staying
- surviving
- enduring
- lingering
- perduring
- prevailing
- abiding
- biding
- carrying through
- tarrying
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- dying
- ending
- finishing
- passing
- dying (down)
- closing
- stopping
- leaving off
- winding up
- terminating
- concluding
- expiring
- discontinuing
- ceasing
- lapsing
- quitting
- letting up
- waning
- desisting
- moderating
- subsiding
- ebbing
- abating
6
as in standing up
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval an argument that won't hold up in court Synonyms & Similar Words
- standing up
- flying
- holding water
- passing muster
- working
- going over
- getting through
- going down
- going through
- passing
- washing
- playing
- taking