1
as in suspension
a state of temporary inactivity
repair work on the bridge was in a holding pattern for the duration of the winter
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delay
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
the couple has been trapped in this holding pattern for six months, as adoption officials create more red tape
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of holding pattern
Nowadays, Dodge offers just two cars for sale: the Hornet and Durango SUVs, though that is somewhat of a holding pattern before the brand goes electric with cars like the new Charger.
—
Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 6 Jan. 2025
When everything is familiar, our brains go into a kind of holding pattern.
—Janice Kaplan, TIME, 3 Jan. 2025
The bill had been held in a procedural holding pattern until bill sponsor Rep. Ryan Williams, R-Cookeville, motioned to add it to the next available calendar.
—Melissa Brown, The Tennessean, 22 Apr. 2024
One by open-source intelligence analyst MT Anderson said Russian ships, likely the Admiral Gorshkov and Admiral Grigorovich frigates, the Novorossiysk Kilo-class submarine and oiler Vyazma were in a holding pattern five miles west of the port.
—Brendan Cole, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for holding pattern
Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 6 Jan. 2025
When everything is familiar, our brains go into a kind of holding pattern.
—Janice Kaplan, TIME, 3 Jan. 2025
The bill had been held in a procedural holding pattern until bill sponsor Rep. Ryan Williams, R-Cookeville, motioned to add it to the next available calendar.
—Melissa Brown, The Tennessean, 22 Apr. 2024
One by open-source intelligence analyst MT Anderson said Russian ships, likely the Admiral Gorshkov and Admiral Grigorovich frigates, the Novorossiysk Kilo-class submarine and oiler Vyazma were in a holding pattern five miles west of the port.
—Brendan Cole, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for holding pattern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding pattern
Noun
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Pitchers were randomly checked throughout a game, and if there was any sticky residue on their fingers, they were thrown out and subject to fines and suspensions.—
Jason Mastrodonato,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2025
-
Showalter called the department's suspensions insufficient.—
Phil Helsel,
NBC news,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Despite SpaceX picking up the national security slack during Vulcan delays, the ULA rocket’s capability is something Space Force personnel have anxiously awaited. Brig.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2025
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Limited options amid development delays NASA also has Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser spacecraft on its internal schedule for a May launch this year.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
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On May 16, The Weeknd will bring his album Hurry Up Tomorrow, which topped the Billboard 200, to the big screen as a suspense thriller.—
Joe Lynch,
Billboard,
26 Mar. 2025
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One thing Alexi is really good at is creating suspense, even in the read.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
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But the on-again, off-again nature of the process has resulted in a bewildered industry that has adopted a wait and see approach to investment decisions and supply chain alterations.—
Jerrold Lundquist,
Forbes.com,
30 Mar. 2025
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Over the last few weeks, following significant cuts to the agency by DOGE, SSA has suffered frequent website crashes and long wait times over the phone, The Washington Post reported this week.—
Jon Brodkin,
ArsTechnica,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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As beeping forklifts move pallets of fresh produce from cold storage to waiting 18-wheel trailers, Greene describes a possible nightmare scenario if there are cuts to SNAP, job losses, and disruptions to the USDA’s emergency food assistance programs.—
Rosa Flores,
CNN,
11 Mar. 2025
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However, some lily varieties grown in warmer zones will benefit from removing the bulbs from the ground or planter and placing them in cold storage for a time before replanting.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
23 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Holding pattern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20pattern. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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