View synonyms for

hold back

verb

to restrain or be restrained
(tr) to withhold
he held back part of the payment

noun

a strap of the harness joining the breeching to the shaft, so that the horse can hold back the vehicle
something that restrains or hinders

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Idioms and Phrases

Also, keep back.

Retain in one's possession or control, as in He held back vital information , or I managed to keep back my tears . [First half of 1500s]

Restrain one-self, as in She held back from joining the others , or I wanted to denounce him right there, but I kept back for fear of making a scene . The first usage dates from the second half of the 1500s, the variant from the early 1800s.

Impede the progress of, as in The barriers held back traffic during the funeral procession , or Her daughter was kept back and had to repeat first grade .

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

It fascinated me what started happening in me as I held back and didn’t say anything.

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I wanted to blast Gomez last week but held back, praying that he might change for the better.

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Despite his disqualification from the presidential election, he remained hugely influential in Zambian politics and did not hold back in his criticism of his successor.

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Bass, standing before a bank of news cameras, did not hold back.

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The oil and gas sector says the windfall tax is holding back investment.

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holdback hold button

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