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
Julia Manchester, The Hill, 22 Apr. 2025
Lawlor has held the position as chief of operations for the Division of Criminal Justice since 2018 and supervised prosecutors involved in appeals, cases involving multiple jurisdictions, civil litigation, housing complaints, Medicaid fraud and other matters.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 22 Apr. 2025
Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025
On hold The Equnior project, termed Empire Wind, is a key part of New York's plans to meet its climate goals.
—John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold
Verb
Democrats currently hold a slim 51 to 49 majority in the state’s House of Delegates, giving way for a competitive race for the majority in November.
—Julia Manchester, The Hill, 22 Apr. 2025
Lawlor has held the position as chief of operations for the Division of Criminal Justice since 2018 and supervised prosecutors involved in appeals, cases involving multiple jurisdictions, civil litigation, housing complaints, Medicaid fraud and other matters.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
The court record also noted there was an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold, which means the federal agency had asked local authorities to keep Lopez Gomez detained.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025
On hold The Equnior project, termed Empire Wind, is a key part of New York's plans to meet its climate goals.
—John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold
Verb
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Once the age checks were done, the opening bars to the FIFA anthem crackled through the stadium speakers, and the players filed onto the field, gripping the hands of the young local players escorting them.—
Ryan Lenora Brown,
NPR,
13 Apr. 2025
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As part of its spring 2025 runway presentation, Fendi paired two bags in different hues and silhouettes for some intentional contrast play — both gripped in one hand by the models.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Below are the ones that will help keep the area around your nose clear and irritation-free.—
Daley Quinn,
Glamour,
15 Apr. 2025
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The Algerine kept looking but didn’t find any additional bodies.—
Greg Daugherty,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The workshop acknowledges that people usually think of consent and boundaries in extreme terms.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
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Some say this is a sign of Andor continuing to tackle tough issues the rest of Star Wars doesn’t, and others think that shouldn’t be a topic touched on in Star Wars at all, ever.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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After the fire is fully contained, the next step is to control it.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Fires were contained, and no casualties were reported.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The play-in tournament means you are certified to have had a mediocre season, like Miami’s 37-45.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
19 Apr. 2025
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This at-bat had no significance on an eventual 7-2 Phillies win over the Miami Marlins.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Last week, the Trump administration demanded Harvard change multiple policies — including those regarding protesting and diversity, equity and inclusion programs — in order to retain its federal funding.—
Tara Suter,
The Hill,
17 Apr. 2025
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As fans returned, WrestleMania 37 in 2021 Night 1 started with a WWE Championship match won by Bobby Lashley, while WrestleMania 38 in 2022 Night 1 opened with The Usos retaining their SmackDown Tag Team Titles.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Other upcoming vehicles will also be developed to accommodate traditional internal combustion, hybrids and E-power.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
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The government has since decided to reopen the application process to accommodate new applications.—
Marta Abbà,
Wired News,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The new chief must take the time to actually understand the neighborhoods and truly grasp their concerns.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2025
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Parents who do talk about letter sounds help their kids grasp that letters are just speech captured on the page.—
Maya Payne Smart, Contributor,
CNBC,
19 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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