Synonyms of hold
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as in to grip 
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as in to keep
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as in to think
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as in to contain
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as in to have
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as in to retain
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as in to accommodate
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as in to grasp
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as in to consider
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as in to regulate
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as in to aim
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as in grip
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as in stronghold
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as in sway
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as in contact
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as in jail
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as in understanding
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as in imprisonment
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1
as in to grip
to have or keep in one's hands
this casserole dish is too hot to hold, so grab a potholder
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2
as in to keep
to continue to have in one's possession or power
she, and she alone, held the keys to the mysterious chest
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3
as in to think
to have as an opinion
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal"
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5
as in to have
to keep in one's mind or heart
still held her close to his heart, though they had long parted
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6
as in to retain
to keep, control, or experience as one's own
the same family has held this piece of land for over 100 years
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as in to grasp
to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms
please hold my arm on these slippery stairs
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as in to regulate
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
we managed to hold our laughter until we got outside hold your temper until you hear the whole story
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11
as in to aim
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal
held the camera on the actor throughout the scene
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1
as in grip
the act or manner of holding
make sure you have a firm hold on the chain saw before you turn it on
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2
as in stronghold
a structure or place from which one can resist attack
the ruins of an ancient Roman hold
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3
as in sway
the right or means to command or control others
the government has no hold over where we live and work
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4
as in contact
the state or fact of being able to exchange information regarding one's current situation
I worry that I won't be able to get hold of you in an emergency
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5
as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
upon hearing the guilty verdict, the accused realized that he would lie in that godforsaken hold for the remainder of his life
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6
as in understanding
the knowledge gained from the process of coming to know or understand something
I need to get hold of the situation before planning a course of action
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7
as in imprisonment
the state of being held in lawful custody
a suspected terrorist who was abducted at an airport and put in hold at an undisclosed location
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold
Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2025
To arrive at the list, the researchers consulted with over two dozen AI experts, surveyed the AAAI community, and held various workshops.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025
But on Monday, Tal Alexander’s legal team asked Reid to reopen the detention hearing and put his transfer to New York on hold.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold
Verb
The Star found police department documents showing La Guardia had held that position since at least 2018.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2025
To arrive at the list, the researchers consulted with over two dozen AI experts, surveyed the AAAI community, and held various workshops.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Noun
The lower court had ruled that Dellinger was entitled to remain in his position, but the appeals court's decision now puts that ruling on hold.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025
But on Monday, Tal Alexander’s legal team asked Reid to reopen the detention hearing and put his transfer to New York on hold.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold
Verb
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The song, released last Friday (Feb. 21) via Reach Records, showcases raw storytelling over gripping horns and acoustic guitar interplay.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
26 Feb. 2025
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Adrien Brody’s László Tóth is a Holocaust survivor battling for postwar equilibrium with a determination and wit that keeps us gripped.—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Many officers presumed that the only way to advance up the ranks, or avoid a hazing, or even keep their jobs, was to be supplicant to the brass.—
Marc J. Dunkelman,
TIME,
27 Feb. 2025
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Government funding expires on March 14, and keeping the government open past the deadline will likely require bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The mesa-like lunar mountain towers over a landscape carved by craters, including the Shackleton Crater, a cold, dark region where water ice and other materials that turn easily into gas are thought to be abundant.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA TODAY,
25 Feb. 2025
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The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, on February 24 returned to Greece an ancient bronze griffin head thought to have been pilfered from a museum in Olympia in the 1930s.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Most drugstore shampoos contain harsh ingredients that dry out the scalp.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
4 Mar. 2025
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The key difference is that turmeric contains only a small amount of curcumin.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The two men have tons of familiarity dating back to their amateur days.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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Peppa Pig will have a brand new piglet to play with come the summer, with news that the beloved character is to welcome a new sibling to the family.—
Caroline Frost,
Deadline,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
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That contest went the 12-round distance, with Herring retaining his belt.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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The filing stated that almost 5,800 USAID awards for future work, and approximately 4,100 distributed through the State Department, will be terminated, while around 500 USAID awards and roughly 2,700 State Department awards will be retained.—
MaryAlice Parks,
ABC News,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Baby Hour, something that savvy urban restaurants are increasingly keen to accommodate.—
Maggie Hennessy,
Bon Appétit,
6 Mar. 2025
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Seven sites are projected to accommodate more than 1.5 million people with temporary housing, provided to the displaced during the reconstruction process.—
Emma Graham,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Clearly, that's a reality which Moscow and Beijing have already grasped.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
3 Mar. 2025
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Human marketers can empathize with audiences, grasping their pain points and aspirations to create messages that evoke trust, joy, or urgency.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to hold
Cite this Entry
“Hold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
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