beholden to
idiom
formal
: owing a favor or gift to (someone) : having obligations to (someone)
politicians who are beholden to special interest groups
She works for herself, and so is beholden to no one.
Examples of beholden to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Many, including the present one, are beholden to Shiite militias with strong ties to Iran.
—
Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
Central bankers beholden to political leaders tend to favor lower interest rates as a means of boosting short-term economic activity, slashing unemployment and generating public support, analysts said.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2025
Past intelligence assessments have said the app's owners are beholden to the Chinese government and that it could be used to influence Americans.
—Steve Holland, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
One of the ironies of fantasy is that authors can imagine virtually anything, yet many remain beholden to alternative worlds filled with white people.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for beholden to
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
Central bankers beholden to political leaders tend to favor lower interest rates as a means of boosting short-term economic activity, slashing unemployment and generating public support, analysts said.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2025
Past intelligence assessments have said the app's owners are beholden to the Chinese government and that it could be used to influence Americans.
—Steve Holland, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
One of the ironies of fantasy is that authors can imagine virtually anything, yet many remain beholden to alternative worlds filled with white people.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for beholden to
Cite this Entry
“Beholden to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beholden%20to. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share