holdout

[ hohld-out ]

noun

1. an act or instance of holding out.
2. a person who delays signing a contract in hopes of gaining more favorable terms:

   The basketball star was a holdout until they offered more money.

3. a person who declines to participate, cooperate, agree, etc.:

   Aside from one or two holdouts, everyone contributed.

Word History and Origins

Origin of holdout¹

First recorded in 1890–95; noun use of verb phrase hold out

Example Sentences

The only holdout is Arlington Public Schools, whose officials have repeatedly refused to set a firm date for the return to in-person learning.

From Washington Post

Bezos long was a holdout on major philanthropic efforts, despite his growing wealth.

From Washington Post

Yeah, there are still holdouts and naysayers, and their actions have surely and needlessly infected others.

From Washington Post

That said, there are some things that you can do through the newer campaign experiment tool that you can’t do on your own without the tool, such as holdout tests and brand surveys.

From Search Engine Land

The deal was only passed on Friday morning after Poland, the last holdout, received further assurances of funding for the energy transition.

From Fortune

But I think Steve Austin has to team up with a Japanese holdout to stop a nuclear bomb from going off or something.

From The Daily Beast

It had been a last holdout state in old Dixie that still elected some Democrats to its top offices.

From The Daily Beast

Jeremy Piven was the holdout, but he has been convinced (and will be paid handsomely for it).

From The Daily Beast

Said Fidas: “ExxonMobil remains a significant holdout with respect to LGBT equality and in many ways an outlier.”

From The Daily Beast

Griesa said that those bankers had to divide the money equally among all bondholders--holdout and not--if it paid anyone.

From The Daily Beast

This holdout works in shirt sleeves and holds the cards in the same place as a cuff-pocket.

From Project Gutenberg

The next form of holdout which falls beneath our notice is that known as the 'Cuff Holdout.'

From Project Gutenberg

An extremely simple form of appliance, and one which may be utilised with effect, is that known as the 'ring holdout.'

From Project Gutenberg

The earliest account we have of anything in the holdout line is the cuff-box described by Houdin.

From Project Gutenberg

The very finest holdout the world has ever seen is that known as the Kepplinger or San Francisco.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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