holdout

American  

[hohld-out] / ˈhoʊldˌaʊt /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of holdout

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

Example Sentences

That disloyal, greedy kid at the center of college football’s first apparent holdout?

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Facebook owner Meta is one holdout among major tech companies backing Anthropic's action.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

But California, one of its core markets and the last state holdout to give approval, had concerns about how those changes would align with its own rules on issues including supplier diversity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

Fearing negative fallout for its agricultural sector, France has long been a holdout, but had failed to muster enough support to block the accord -- until now.

From Barron's • Dec. 17, 2025

The lone holdout on the commission was Henry DeWolf Smyth, who had telegraphed his distaste for the inquiry to Ernest Lawrence at Oak Ridge.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• bonus
• chunk
• fee
• interest
• percent
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• rate
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• royalty