Hold back meaning
Hold back means to stop someone or something from making progress. It can also mean to stop a person or crowd from moving forward.
hold somebody or something back
hold back · held · holding
Fear of failing is holding you back.
Hold back meanings and examples
4 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Stop someone or something from making progress
hold somebody or something back
- Fear of failing is holding you back.
- Bad internet is holding back small businesses here.
- Don’t let a lack of money hold you back.
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2
Stop a person or crowd from moving forward
hold somebody or something back
- Police held back the crowd at the gates.
- I had to hold the dog back when it saw the cat.
- The wall holds back the sea in a storm.
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3
Stop yourself from showing a strong feeling
hold something back
- He couldn’t hold back his tears at the wedding.
- She held back a laugh when the boss tripped.
- I was so angry, but I held it back.
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4
Not do or say something, often because you are afraid or careful
hold back
- Don’t hold back. Tell me what you really think.
- I held back from saying anything in the meeting.
- She never holds back when she sings.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use hold back in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is hold back separable?
When it means not act, hold back has no object; add from + -ing: hold back from asking. With an object, it is separable: hold back tears, hold them back.
Hold back information means not tell everything: I think he’s holding something back. In UK schools, be held back means repeat a year.
Verb tenses for hold back
| Present | I hold back · she holds back |
|---|---|
| Past | held back |
| Present perfect | have held back |
| -ing form | holding back |
Common mistakes with hold back
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: I held back to tell her the truth.
Right: I held back from telling her the truth.
Use from + -ing after hold back.
Wrong: Nothing can hold back me now.
Right: Nothing can hold me back now.
A pronoun goes between hold and back.
Wrong: She held off her tears.
Right: She held back her tears.
For feelings and tears, use hold back.
Synonyms and opposites of hold back
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- hesitatewait before doing something because you are not sure
- keep backnot tell all the information, or stay away
- hold upmake late, not stop completely
Opposite
- let gostop controlling a feeling and show it
- speak upsay what you think clearly
Hold back quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1Tell me honestly. Don’t ___.
Hold back means not say or do something.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Use hold back from + -ing.
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3“Her shyness held her back at work.” What happened?
Hold someone back means stop their progress.
More phrasal verbs with hold
5 phrasal verbs start with hold. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Hold back FAQ
Questions people ask about hold back.
What does hold back tears mean?
It means try hard not to cry: She held back her tears during the speech.
What does don’t hold back mean?
It means do or say everything you want, with full energy or honesty: Don’t hold back, just sing!
What does being held back mean at school?
It means a student must repeat the same year because their results were too low. It is more common in US English.
Use hold back in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.