Meaning trap
hold back
restrain emotion
to stop yourself from showing your feelings, especially strong emotions like anger, sadness, or excitement
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to stop yourself from showing your feelings, especially strong emotions like anger, sadness, or excitement
Another meaning of 'hold back' is 'withhold information'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
She tried to hold back her tears during the sad movie.
In stressful situations, I sometimes find it hard to hold back my frustration, especially when things don't go as planned.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: He held his anger back inside.
Say: He held back his anger.
'Hold back + emotion'. 'Inside' is redundant.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Hold back (tears)' is the natural collocation. 'Restrained her tears' is stiff.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
hold back + emotion
- the tears
- her anger
- a laugh
- his feelings
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- hold back (withhold information) — Another meaning of 'hold back' is 'withhold information'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.