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.

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

One group that was especially vocal in their opposition to A.I., was the literary community, and writers and authors across the country didn’t hold back when sharing their two cents.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

"They're renowned for building dams that hold back the flow of water," he said.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

“You may have people just hold back because they think things are more expensive.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

She put her palms over her mouth as if that was all that would hold back the horrible, groaning, moaning, keening sound flooding out of her.

From "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness