Hold back means to stop yourself from showing feelings (tears, laughter, emotions) and to stop someone from making progress. In the first meaning, people say hold back tears or hold back from saying something. In the second, the reason is often fear, a lack of money or circumstances: Fear held me back.
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hold back + tears/laughter/anger; hold sb back; hold back from + -ing; Don't hold back.
- She could hardly hold back her tears during the farewell speech.
- Fear of making mistakes held me back from speaking in class.
- Don't hold back. Tell me what you really think about the plan.
What changed
First versionI held back from criticise his plan because he looked so nervous.
RevisionI held back from criticising his plan because he looked so nervous.
After held back from, it is tempting to use the base form of the verb, as you would after to. But after a preposition, an English verb takes the -ing form: from criticising. The form criticise cannot come straight after a preposition.
Hold up is also about something getting in the way, but it means a delay: An accident held us up for an hour. Hold back is about what stops someone from developing or showing what they can do: Shyness held her back at university.
Your turn
Anna has great ideas, but her fear of public speaking ___ in meetings.
Show the answer
holds her back — Fear stops Anna from showing what she can do: it holds her back. Holds her up means delays her, like a traffic jam or a queue, and it does not fit fear.
Think of something that held you back in your studies or at work. Write what exactly held you back and how you dealt with it.
For years my fear of phone calls held me back at work, but daily practice with a colleague helped me get over it.
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