held up briefly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "held up briefly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where something was delayed or paused for a short period of time. Example: "The meeting was held up briefly due to technical difficulties, but we resumed shortly after."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

I was held up briefly by plunking in LOTTA instead of LOTSA, and was flummoxed by LOESS, which is a good, solid crossword word and I really should know it.

The New York Times

This was a wonderful watch, even if the fascination became a just a touch morbid during the third and final set which had been held up briefly by a spell of fine drizzle.

The Guardian - Sport

The second seed's charge was held up briefly when Roddick took a medical time-out to have his thighs massaged but by that point Nadal was 3-0 up in the third set and cruising.

The Guardian - Sport

Many of the crowd appeared to be somewhat uninterested in the cricket, but perhaps that is what's intended, with the PA encouraging Mexican waves in the middle of a tight run chase and play held up briefly while the words for the karaoke Delilah scrolled across the big screen.

The Guardian - Sport

Play was also held up briefly as two young supporters ran on to the park and got to the technical area before being apprehended by police and stewards.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

The marshmallow melts from the heat; the jelly bean holds up briefly before disintegrating; and the rock — well, the rock is a rock.

The New York Times - Sports

Along these lines, it is better to hold up briefly (between 30 seconds to a moment) before drinking your java to let the espresso beans settle at the lowest part of the container.

WikiHow

The confirmation of Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner was held up only briefly after the disclosure that he had failed to pay more than $34,000 in taxes owed to the federal government.

The New York Times

His back held up.

Los Angeles Times

This held them up briefly, until the other companies came up.

Wikipedia

Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. sensibly observed that "the best thing is to hold things up briefly, so that the child doesn't go overseas and then have to be brought back".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "held up briefly" to concisely describe a temporary delay or interruption, particularly when the exact cause of the delay is less important than its short duration. For instance, "The meeting was "held up briefly" due to a technical issue."

Common error

While "held up briefly" is often used in the passive voice, be mindful of overuse. If possible, rephrase to emphasize the actor causing the delay for a more direct and engaging sentence. For example, instead of "The project was "held up briefly" by unforeseen circumstances", consider "Unforeseen circumstances "held up briefly" the project".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "held up briefly" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb. It indicates the manner or extent to which an action is delayed or interrupted. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "held up briefly" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a short delay or interruption. According to Ludwig AI, the expression is valid. It is most commonly found in News & Media and Wiki contexts, indicating a neutral level of formality. While there are numerous alternative ways to describe a short delay— such as "momentarily delayed" or "temporarily paused"—the phrase "held up briefly" remains a concise and effective option. While generally used in passive constructions, be mindful to occasionally shift to the active voice when possible for greater clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

briefly delayed

Synonymous, emphasizes the short duration of the delay.

momentarily delayed

Focuses on the temporary nature of the delay.

delayed for a short period

Rephrases with a slightly more formal tone.

temporarily paused

Highlights the interruption as a pause.

momentarily stalled

Highlights the delay as a temporary stall.

interrupted for a moment

Emphasizes the interruption and its short duration.

briefly suspended

Focuses on a temporary suspension of activity.

shortly postponed

Indicates a postponement of short duration.

halted for a short time

Highlights a temporary cessation.

intermittently stopped

Emphasizes the stop-and-start nature of the delay.

FAQs

What does "held up briefly" mean?

The phrase "held up briefly" means that something was delayed or interrupted for a short period of time.

What can I say instead of "held up briefly"?

You can use alternatives like "momentarily delayed", "briefly delayed", or "temporarily paused" depending on the context.

How do I use "held up briefly" in a sentence?

You can use "held up briefly" to describe an event or process that experienced a short delay. For example: "The game was "held up briefly" due to a smoke bomb."

Is it better to say "briefly delayed" or "held up briefly"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct and have similar meanings. The choice between "briefly delayed" and "held up briefly" often comes down to stylistic preference. "Briefly delayed" is more direct, while "held up briefly" may imply an external cause for the delay.