AAAmerican Accent US

hold back

Separable

The object can go before or after the particle — but a pronoun MUST go in the middle: “clean it up”, never “clean up it”.

How to say it

Stress the particle, not the verb: hold BACK. Saying “HOLD back” is the clearest learner tell — the verb stays light and the particle carries the beat.

Do not release the /d/. Before the consonant of “back” the stop is held and swallowed rather than popped — the same unreleased-stop move as in hot dog. One smooth unit: “hold back”.

2 meanings

  1. 1

    To restrain someone or something.

    • “Police held back the crowd.”
    • “She couldn't hold back the tears.”

    Similar: restrain, contain

  2. 2

    To withhold information.

    • “I felt he was holding something back.”

    Similar: withhold, keep back

The particle logic

back

Something returns to where it was, or is held in reserve.

Listen + practice

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More HOLD phrasal verbs

Compare the whole family →

hold on

To wait a moment.

hold up

To delay someone or something.

hold off

To delay doing something.

hold out

To resist or survive longer than expected.

hold down

To keep a job over a period of time.

hold onto

To keep possession of something.

hold back — meaning, examples & how to say it