What does “hold someone back” mean?
Walking Away From Fear And Finding Courage
B1 English listening practice · English · Picked for people who know some
In this student’s talk on facing fear, the message turns on a phrasal verb: «those make us feel anxious and holding us back from doing great things». To hold someone back is to stop them from moving forward or reaching their potential, whether it’s fear, doubt, or other people doing the holding.
Like many English phrasal verbs, the two words together mean more than their parts: hold (“grip”) plus back (“behind”) gives “restrain, prevent from advancing.” Watch the patterns: “don’t hold back” (“give it everything”), “hold yourself back,” “what’s holding you back?” It’s everyday English for whatever keeps you stuck.
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Harder words in this video
These words are harder than B1. Here is what they mean.
Source: wordfreq 3.1.1 (general) · SUBTLEX-US 2012 (spoken). These numbers are close, not perfect.
- ▸English motivational talks and TED-style speeches on fear and confidence.
- ▸In job interviews and coaching: “what’s holding you back?”
- ▸English phrasal-verb lessons grouping hold on, hold up, hold back.
- ▸Everyday pep talks: “don’t hold back.”