hold·out
ˈhōld-ˌau̇t 
held out; holding out; holds out
1
: to remain unsubdued or unyielding
where 30 of the … refugees were still holding out—
Anna Tomforde
Anna Tomforde
also
: to continue to function or be available : last entry 1
prayed that the engine would hold out
as long as our money holds out
2
: to refuse to go along with others in a concerted action or to come to an agreement
holding out for a shorter workweek
Examples of holdout in a Sentence
Noun
He says he might be a holdout at the start of the next season if the team doesn't agree to pay him more.
He is expected to end his three-week holdout and join the team tomorrow.
A few holdouts still use typewriters, but nearly everybody uses computers now.
Verb
we hoped our supply of firewood would hold out until power was restored
luckily, the old outboard motor held out till we made it to shore
Recent Examples on the WebAlex Veiga, Quartz, 26 Apr. 2024
But, naturally, some holdouts—more remote-work friendly cities like Seattle, Boston, and San Francisco—are digging their heels in, keeping steadily low in-office days, despite adding more jobs.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for holdout 
Noun
The real estate company had been a major holdout after several other big brokerage operators, including Keller Williams Realty, Re/Max, Compass and Anywhere Real Estate, agreed to settle.
—Alex Veiga, Quartz, 26 Apr. 2024
But, naturally, some holdouts—more remote-work friendly cities like Seattle, Boston, and San Francisco—are digging their heels in, keeping steadily low in-office days, despite adding more jobs.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for holdout
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'holdout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Holdout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holdout. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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