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.

“This mosque for my community members is a second home,” Hassane said, pausing to hold back tears.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

“Recent increases for long-term interest rates will continue to hold back home buyer demand,” Robert Dietz, the trade group’s chief economist said in a statement.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

MarketWatch: Investors once again are faced with a decision to either chase the stock-market rally or hold back.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

As ice shelves become thinner and weaker, they lose some of their ability to hold back the glaciers behind them.

From Science Daily • May 10, 2026

They took information from anyone willing to talk and didn’t hold back crucial details the way US papers sometimes did.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall