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.

Italy's World Cup heartbreak was crystallised in the tear-streaked face of coach Rino Gattuso, who struggled to hold back his emotions after the national team's defeat.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

That leaves the BOJ in a familiar bind: Hike too soon and risk clipping fragile growth, or hold back and risk damaging household confidence, plus U.S. scrutiny if the yen weakens excessively.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

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

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

Planet Labs PBC, a leading provider of high resolution images taken from space, said Friday it would hold back for 96 hours images of Gulf states targeted by Iranian drone attacks.

From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026

And here was the nimble Army Corps of Engineers planning to hold back 250 billion gallons of water with notoriously unstable glacial till.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson