holding pattern

American  

noun

1. a traffic pattern for aircraft at a specified location holding point where they are ordered to remain until permitted to land or proceed.

2. a state or period in which no progress or change is made or planned.

---

holding pattern British  

noun

1. the oval or circular path of an aircraft flying around an airport awaiting permission to land

---

Etymology

Origin of holding pattern

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Most Fed watchers and investors also think the central bank will stay in a holding pattern until Powell’s second and last term as chairman ends in May.

From MarketWatch

WASHINGTON—The Federal Reserve entered a new holding pattern on interest rates Wednesday and signaled little urgency to resume cuts after contentious reductions at officials’ three previous meetings.

From The Wall Street Journal

Seaport Research Partners’ David Joyce said the margin concerns were “overblown,” but added that shares ought to remain in likely in “a deal-related holding pattern for awhile.”

From Barron's

The FAA kept the debris response area, or DRA, active for another 71 minutes, leaving some flights in a holding pattern over the Caribbean.

From Salon

But overall, the stocks seem stuck in a holding pattern.

From Barron's