1. Prevent the action or expression of
   "hold back your anger";
   - restrain, keep, keep back
    
2. Hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of
   "hold back the growth of communism in South East Asia";
   - check, turn back, arrest, stop, contain
    
3. Hold back; keep from being perceived by others
   "She holds back her anger well";
   - conceal, hold in, disguise
    
4. Secure and keep for possible future use or application
   "The landlord held back the security deposit";
   - retain, hold, keep back
    
5. Delay acting
   "the scientists held back announcing their results until they repeated the experiment";
   - wait, hold off
    
6. Refrain from doing
   "she held back a snicker";
   - forbear
    
7. Withhold information or truth
   "She held back crucial details during the investigation"
    
8. Remain at a distance
   "The crowd held back as the police arrived"

Derived forms: held back, holding back, holds back

Type of: act, defend, forbear, hold, hold on, keep, maintain, move, refrain