holdup

Examples

• All

• There was a significant holdup in the project due to unexpected technical difficulties.

• Most notorious for its traffic holdups, the motorway junction known as Ojuelegba is permanently packed.

  Academic text (2015)

• What is the holdup back there?

  Dark Waters (2019)

• Sorry for the holdup, everybody.

  The Five-Year Engagement (2012)

• What's the holdup, you guys?

  Don't Look Up (2021)

• I was late because of a traffic holdup and felt sheepish.

  Academic text (2013)

• She stood to see what the holdup was.

  Fiction book (1999)

• The holdup isn't even the money per year; it's the duration.

  Blog text (11)

• I'm not sure what the holdup is, but the old clock's ticking, buddy, so give me a call, okay?

  Seven Psychopaths (2012)

• What is the holdup?

  Blog text (25)

Synonyms

D

delay

vsholdup

434 1.3

A time when something happens later than planned

covers any stoppage or act that makes activity late or halted

H

hold

vsholdup

276 2.0

A time when something is paused or delayed

is the event causing such a pause rather than the time itself

I

interruption

vsholdup

99 3.0

A short time when something stops or is delayed

highlights the causing action rather than the mere break in flow

S

standstill

vsholdup

35 3.5

A time when movement or activity stops completely

is broader and can mean partial slowing as well as complete stops

H

hang-up

vsholdup

16 5.9

An unexpected problem that stops progress in a plan or process

is the act or result of causing progress to be delayed or stopped

H

hold-up

vsholdup

15 5.4

A robbery using threats or a sudden delay

in this resource is the neutral concept of causing or experiencing delay

S

stoppage

vsholdup

15 4.1

A time when something stops moving or working

focuses more on the cause or act that creates that halted state

S

stalling

vsholdup

7 6.3

Delaying something on purpose to gain time or avoid a decision

is any delay, deliberate or accidental, not only time gaining tactics

H

holding pattern

vsholdup

1 5.1

A situation with no progress or decisions while people wait

is the same stoppage idea but can include active causes as well

T

tie-up

vsholdup

1 6.3

A situation where normal activity stops or slows because of a block

is the broader notion of being delayed, not only from blockages

M

major hold-up

vsholdup

4.1

A big delay that stops or slows progress

is the general idea of delay without implying large scale impact

Antonyms

P

progress

∞ 2.5

Forward change toward a goal or better state

C

continuation

56 3.6

An act of something keeping going without stopping

Compounds

H

holdup man

• US

1 7.9

A man who threatens people with a weapon to steal money

How Long

shutdown

136 4.1

stoppage

15 4.1

holdup

• US

20 3.8

delay

434 1.3

slowdown

53 3.7

pause

192 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology