holdouts
Last ones standing
Holdouts are people who refuse to go along with something others have accepted.
In negotiations, holdouts resist agreeing to terms: A few holdouts on the jury prevented a verdict.
In real estate, a holdout refuses to sell when others have, sometimes blocking development.
The word implies stubbornness, though holdouts may see themselves as principled.
Those who actively oppose
- dissentersOpponents of prevailing views
- objectorsPeople who formally disagree
- refuseniksEmigrants denied exit permits
- dissidentsPolitical objectors
rebels · nonconformists · protesters · opponents · boycotters · contrarians · mavericks · hardliners
Those still alive after
- remnantsWhat stays after most goes
- remaindersWhat stays after subtraction
- stragglersThose who fall behind
- relicsPreserved items from antiquity
leftovers · persisters · endurance · resilience · vestiges · lingering · hangers-on · diehards
Refusal to compromise
- obstinacyUnyielding adherence to position
- stubbornnessRefusal to yield
- tenacityPersistent grip or resolve
- unyieldingRefusing to give way
adamant · inflexibility · uncompromising · demands · concessions · deadlock · impasse · stalemate
Encirclement forcing surrender
- fortressHeavily defended military structure
- strongholdFortified place of defense
- garrisonStationed military force
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
blockade · besieged · entrenchment · barricade · redoubt · bunker · defensive · fortification
resisters
Those who actively oppose
- dissentersOpponents of prevailing views
- objectorsPeople who formally disagree
- refuseniksEmigrants denied exit permits
dissidents · rebels · nonconformists · protesters · opponents · boycotters · contrarians · mavericks · hardliners · naysayers
survivors
Those still alive after
- remnantsWhat stays after most goes
- remaindersWhat stays after subtraction
- stragglersThose who fall behind
relics · leftovers · persisters · endurance · resilience · vestiges · lingering · hangers-on · diehards · stalwarts
intransigence
Refusal to compromise
- obstinacyUnyielding adherence to position
- stubbornnessRefusal to yield
- tenacityPersistent grip or resolve
unyielding · adamant · inflexibility · uncompromising · demands · concessions · deadlock · impasse · stalemate · bargaining
siege
Encirclement forcing surrender
- fortressHeavily defended military structure
- strongholdFortified place of defense
- garrisonStationed military force
encirclement · blockade · besieged · entrenchment · barricade · redoubt · bunker · defensive · fortification · resistance
- offseasonfree agency, trades, spring training, training camp, minicamp
- devoteesdevotee, devotees, adherent, adherents, follower
- obstaclesbarriers, block, obstacles, barrier, blockers
- preseasontraining camp, minicamp, practice, scrimmages, OTAs
- sports ethicsfair play, sportsmanship, integrity, doping, honesty
- negativistspessimists, defeatists, doomers, doomsayers, negative Nellies
holdoutsearly adopters
First users of innovations
first movers · pioneers · innovators · trendsetters · trailblazers
holdoutscapitulators
Those who yield defeat
signatories · yea-sayers · agreers · consenters · accommodators
holdoutsjoiners
Those who become members
conformists · followers · bandwagoners · sheep · team players