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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Final Thoughts Every stage of the startup journey—fighting to survive, avoiding stagnation or navigating complexity—comes with its own set of challenges.—
Hope Horner,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
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If young curlews cannot survive to reproductive age, conservationists fear there won’t be enough breeding birds to replenish the species’ numbers, which could cause the entire population to collapse.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 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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Will Warren lasted just 1.2 innings in the Bombers’ first major league game at George M. Steinbrenner Field.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Nonetheless, under current court interpretation of federal law, Maine should prevail if the state can stick it out, said Rothstein and several other critics of the Trump administration.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2025
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While most losses were caused by fraud, ransomware prevailed as the largest threat to critical infrastructure in 2024, the FBI said.—
Nicole Brown Chau,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20out. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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