holding pattern
ˈhoʊldɪŋ ˈpætərn
Definition Synonyms

Definition of holding pattern - Reverso English Dictionary

Noun

1.
figurativestate of inactivity or waiting
  • The project is in a holding pattern until we get more funding.
stalemate standstill
2.
aviationTECH.flight path maintained by aircraft awaiting clearance to landTECH.
  • The plane was in a holding pattern for thirty minutes due to traffic.
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Expressions with holding

holding thumbsadj.
wishing someone good luck
He sent a message holding thumbs for her performance.
leave holding the babyv.
be left to handle a problem alone
After the meeting, she was left holding the baby.
leave someone holding the babyv.
abandon someone and force them to take responsibility or blame
He left her holding the baby when the project failed.
leave someone holding the bagv.
abandon a person so that this person faces trouble or blame alone
They ran away after breaking the window and left him holding the bag.
left holding the bagadj.
responsible for a problem or failure
After the project failed, she was left holding the bag.
there's no holding himexp.
impossible to stop someone who is very excited or determined
Once he decided to go, there's no holding him.

Expressions with pattern

pattern afterv.
use as a model or example
She patterned her new dress after a vintage design.
pattern oneself onv.
model oneself after someone or something admired
She patterned herself on her favorite author.
follow a patternv.
act or develop in a way that repeats a specific order
The seasons follow a pattern every year.
follow the same patternv.
do something in the same way as before
The new students follow the same pattern as last year's group.
sleep patternn.
usual way someone sleeps over time, including timing and cycles
Her sleep pattern changed after she started her new job.
on the pattern ofprep.
shows something is made by copying another example
The new law was written on the pattern of the old one.
thought patternn.
habitual way of thinking about something
Her thought pattern made her see problems as opportunities.
work patternn.
usual plan of working hours and days for a job
The company offers a flexible work pattern with remote Mondays and Fridays.
distribution patternn.
overall way objects or living things are spread across an area
The distribution pattern of the trees showed clear gaps along the riverbank.
eating patternn.
usual way a person or group eats over a period of time
The doctor asked about his eating pattern before giving dietary advice.

Terms related to holding pattern

💡 Terms in the same lexical field: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, hypernyms…
holddelayhiatusinactivityintermissionlimbopausesuspensionwaitingaircraftapproachaviation

Terms with holding pattern included in their meaning

💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
stackn.
aviation
holding pattern for aircraft waiting to land
stackv.
aviation
place aircraft in a holding pattern

Examples of holding pattern in a sentence

  • His career was in a holding pattern after the company downsized.
  • We were stuck in a holding pattern for what felt like forever.
  • The pilot announced we were in a holding pattern due to weather conditions.

View all translations of holding pattern

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
  1. French:attente, circuit d'attente, ...
  2. German:Wartestellung, Warteschleife, ...
  3. Italian:fase di stallo, schema di attesa, ...
  4. Spanish:patrón de espera, patrón de retención, ...
  5. Portuguese:estado de espera, padrão de espera, ...
  6. Chinese:停滞状态, 盘旋等待航路, ...
  7. Japanese:保留状態, ホールディングパターン, ...
  8. Arabic:حالَة انْتِظار, نَمَط اِنْتِظَار, ...
  9. Hebrew:מַצַּב קִפָּאוֹן, מַעְגָּל הַמְתָנָה, ...
  10. Russian:режим ожидания, зона ожидания, ...
  11. Ukrainian:стан очікування, схема очікування, ...
  12. Hindi:ठहराव, होल्डिंग पैटर्न, ...
Browse the dictionary entries starting with “h”:
holding operation holding paddock holding pen holding period

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