hold back
Britishverb
-
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
-
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 .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
DeArmas, usually so composed, couldn't hold back his tears.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
He harangues referees and reporters and doesn’t hold back when communicating with his players.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
Erick Erickson, the conservative radio host and founder of the RedState political blog, did not hold back.
From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2026
Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic did not hold back when asked about his feelings on where the furore surrounding Southampton's activities left his own side.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
She blinked, but that didn't hold back her tears.
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
