Pronunciation: /hoʊldbæk/
noun a sum of money that is withheld or retained for a specific purpose
A1 I have a holdback in my hair to keep it out of my face.
A2 The holdback on the curtains broke, so now they won't stay open.
B1 The company has a holdback policy where a portion of the payment is withheld until the project is completed.
B2 The holdback of funds by the government is causing delays in the construction project.
C1 The holdback of information by the CEO led to speculation and uncertainty among the employees.
C2 The holdback of evidence by the prosecution weakened their case in court.
verb to restrain or prevent someone or something from advancing or progressing
A1 I always hold back my tears when I watch sad movies.
A2 She had to hold back her anger during the meeting.
B1 It's important to hold back personal information when meeting new people.
B2 The athlete had to hold back his excitement after winning the championship.
C1 The CEO had to hold back from making a decision until all the facts were presented.
C2 The diplomat had to hold back from expressing his true feelings during the tense negotiation.
formal The company faced financial difficulties due to the holdback of funds by investors.
informal I can't buy that new phone yet because I have a holdback on my paycheck this month.
slang I had to put a holdback on going out this weekend because I'm low on cash.
figurative Her fear of failure was a constant holdback in pursuing her dreams.
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