1
a
: a hold or place of support for the toes (as in climbing)
b(1)
: a means of progressing (as in surmounting barriers)
(2)
: a slight footing
used his money to get a toehold, then a foothold, then a near stranglehold on the political economy—
R. W. Armstrong
R. W. Armstrong2
: an illegal wrestling hold in which the aggressor bends or twists the other wrestler's foot
Examples of toehold in a Sentence
American companies looking for toeholds in foreign markets.
Recent Examples on the Web
The good news is that fresh ideas and fascinating mini-stars flourish online; influencers and creators grasping toeholds in the attention economy.
—Marc Fisher, Washington Post, 19 June 2024
And for these voters, Trump enjoys a 26-point margin and opposition to EVs enjoys a 44-point toehold.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 17 June 2024
With an average loan of $5,000 for businesses and $1,000 for individuals, People Trust helps the Black community in Little Rock find some kind of toehold in an economy that is stacked against them.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2024
If the Allies risked it anyway, but the skies did not clear enough for airborne troops to make their jumps or for Allied warplanes to protect the beachheads, an onrush of German tanks could crush the toeholds on French sand.
—The Editors, National Review, 6 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for toehold 
Marc Fisher, Washington Post, 19 June 2024
And for these voters, Trump enjoys a 26-point margin and opposition to EVs enjoys a 44-point toehold.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 17 June 2024
With an average loan of $5,000 for businesses and $1,000 for individuals, People Trust helps the Black community in Little Rock find some kind of toehold in an economy that is stacked against them.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2024
If the Allies risked it anyway, but the skies did not clear enough for airborne troops to make their jumps or for Allied warplanes to protect the beachheads, an onrush of German tanks could crush the toeholds on French sand.
—The Editors, National Review, 6 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for toehold
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'toehold.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near toehold
Cite this Entry
“Toehold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toehold. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
toehold
noun
toe·hold
ˈtō-ˌhōld 
: a hold or support for the toes (as in climbing)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share