"We cannot all succeed when half of us ___ held back" (Malala Yousafzai) (3)

I believe the answer is:

are

(Other definitions for are that I've seen before include "Era (anag.)" , "(They/you/we) exist" , "(We/they/you) exist" , "Exist; square measure" , "(We/you/they) exist" .)

I've seen this clue in the Universal.

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