as in to survive
to continue to operate or to meet one's needs
we hoped our supply of firewood would hold out until power was restored luckily, the old outboard motor held out till we made it to shore
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Recent Examples of hold out
The longer China holds out and retaliates, the worse the outcome for China.
—
Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
But Cleary’s team is apparently holding out for better in this contract, leaving the city’s bargaining team nonplussed, the Johnson source said.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
As many investors hold out hope that Trump can strike agreements with key trading partners to avoid the duties, the U.S. president left the door open – even if a key advisor didn’t.
—Jacob Pramuk, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025
But sheriff’s officials in their statement Monday said Vaughn continued to hold out and threatened to fire on deputies.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold out
Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
But Cleary’s team is apparently holding out for better in this contract, leaving the city’s bargaining team nonplussed, the Johnson source said.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
As many investors hold out hope that Trump can strike agreements with key trading partners to avoid the duties, the U.S. president left the door open – even if a key advisor didn’t.
—Jacob Pramuk, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025
But sheriff’s officials in their statement Monday said Vaughn continued to hold out and threatened to fire on deputies.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold out
Verb
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And seriously, shouldn't surviving that nightmare initial Vula tribe designation be worth a cool million bucks?—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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She's also accused in Arizona of conspiring with Cox to attempt to kill her niece's ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux, who was shot at in the fall of 2019 but survived.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Whether through design, real estate, or social initiatives, Yemane’s businesses are all about impact, helping people build wealth, communities, and lasting relationships.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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The Great Migration brought many Black American artists and thinkers to New York City, famously spurring the Harlem Renaissance, which lasted from the end of World War I through the 1920s.—
Johanna K. Taylor,
The Conversation,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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That was the prevailing sentiment publicly in 2017, when the allegations came out.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
29 Mar. 2025
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Cool heads almost always prevail.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20out. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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