HELD DOWN Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

held down

verb

past tense of hold down

as in limited

to set bounds or an upper limit for efforts to hold down taxes keep running up against the legislature's ingrained unwillingness to cut spending

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of held down Atlanta again held down Golden Stateâs Gabby Williams, who finished with 15 points on 5-of-18 shooting. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Those levies outweigh California’s median-level property tax rate, held down by Proposition 13, the landmark law that limited them in 1978. — Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 Profit is simply what remains after wages are held down, taxes are minimized, and costs are pushed onto workers, communities, and the environment. — Christopher Marquis, Time, 16 Oct. 2026 Roth was born in Denver, graduated with a psychology degree from the University of Colorado Denver, and held down jobs managing, serving and bartending. — Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 7 Oct. 2026 With the trigger held down, the controller did a good job monitoring changes in acceleration and countering the wagon’s speed to maintain my walking pace. — Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026 While the victim was being held down, the 17-year-old boy allegedly pulled down his own pants and underwear and sat on the victim's chest. — Steven Rosenbaum, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026 Kobe Bryant’s signature line had held down Clark through college in her first WNBA years, but there weren’t any overt attempts to pay homage to the series. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026 When the button is held down, a section of the bracelet pops open to reveal the time. — Carol Besler, Robb Report, 10 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for held down

Verb

For many of these measures, industry analysts and stakeholders have said the reduction in energy prices is likely to be limited and possibly short-lived.

— Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 23 Oct. 2026
There's a kernel of truth to it; Ohtani was clearly limited by several injuries down the stretch, with a lengthy slump accompanying an increase in chase rate and swing and miss.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of limited

Verb

Experts say their main concern is a possibility that some civil rights of commoner husbands and their children could be restricted as with the royals.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
On Wednesday, a federal judge restricted Homeland Security agents from carrying out sweeping field operations aimed at rooting out voter fraud in nine states, including California.

— Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of restricted

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held back

held down

held forth

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“Held down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/held%20down. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of held down

verb

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