Holding back is a term that can be used to describe a variety of actions. The crossword solutions for this term are REINING (7 letters), RESTRAINING (11 letters), and MIRING (6 letters). REINING is an action in which a horse is trained to respond to commands from its rider, such as slowing down or stopping. RESTRAINING is the act of limiting someone's freedom of movement or action. MIRING is the act of keeping something in place, such as a rope or chain, to prevent it from moving. All three of these words can be used to describe the concept of holding back.