HOLDS DOWN Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

holds down

verb

present tense third-person singular of hold down

as in limits

to set bounds or an upper limit for efforts to hold down taxes keep running up against the legislature's ingrained unwillingness to cut spending

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of holds down Another showed Lee on the floor of a gym in chocolate-chip camouflage pants, doing a situp while a German shepherd holds down his feet. — Eamon Javers, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026 Buchanan is currently the Milan fashion director for Perfect Magazine and holds down a role as Pucci’s knitwear designer, reporting into creative director Camille Miceli. — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2026 Maybe someone just puts their forehead on the keyboard, holds down a few keys, and waits to see what letters survive. — New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026 After a breakout season, Jalen Redmond holds down his starting spot, with Levi Drake Rodriguez and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins next to him. — Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 That holds down reported borrowing costs but leaves the government more exposed to inflation and rising rates. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026 Kat and Aesha take the guests swimming in some nearby caves while the rest of the crew holds down the fort. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2026 The conventional ideal situation is Bradbury holds down the spot formidably and Jones is ready to take over in 2027, but Iowa offensive linemen tend not to need a ton of NFL reps to be ready to go. — Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 27 July 2026 One whale holds down the dead body of a large sunfish, which can grow over 6 feet long and weigh over 4,000 pounds. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 23 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for holds down

Verb

About 75% of Australia’s natural gas production is offshore, which limits growth.

— Jordan Blum, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
The doc, which also screened at fests from TIFF to Zurich, Hamptons, Mill Valley Film Festival, Beyondfest and more, is a hefty 225 minutes long – plus a ten-minute intermission – which limits showtimes.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of limits

Verb

The ban, which went into effect on Thursday, restricts ads and paid marketing messages from ByteDance, along with third-party ads that link to TikTok.

— Emma Roth, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026
During a Unified Government Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday, commissioners voted to withdraw from parts of the Kansas Sports Facility Authority legislation over concerns that the law restricts local government powers.

— Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of restricts

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holds back

holds down

holds forth

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“Holds down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holds%20down. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of holds down

verb

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