held 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.
The 72-year-old actor, who was at the film festival for the premiere of Propeller One-Way Night Coach, which he directed, held back tears when presented with the prize saying: "This is beyond the Oscar".
From BBC • May 15, 2026
Rex Reed, who never held back in celebrity interviews and movie reviews, died Tuesday in Manhattan at age 87.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
Amid all the spending on technological self-reliance, China’s government has so far held back on large-scale economic stimulus that could help get people to spend more.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026
A 2025 Nature Reviews Materials review described direct seawater electrolysis as promising but still held back by corrosion, side reactions, metal precipitates, and limited lifetime.
From Science Daily • May 10, 2026
If Newton had never lived, scientific progress might have been held back by a few decades.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
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