hold back

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.

“It kind of siphoned all of that pent-up, closeted stuff that you hold back, that you couldn’t freely express,” she said.

From Slate • May 4, 2026

F1 executives had come to a hard realization: If their high-octane enterprise was to survive another 70 years, then Formula One could no longer hold back the tide of electrification.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

Ice shelves act as barriers that hold back Antarctica's inland glaciers and ice sheets.

From Science Daily • Apr. 30, 2026

Some think that potential buyers of baseball clubs may hold back since the current contract between owners and the players union expires at the end of this season.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

She seems real serious, so I hold back my laugh.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon