holding 1 of 2

holding

2 of 2

verb

present participle of hold
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as in containing
to have within the mysterious chest held an ancient book on magic spells and potions

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in accommodating
to make or have room for the couple needed to rent a hall that would hold 300 people

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of holding
Noun
Details of Williams’ current financial holdings have not been made public. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2025 Fellow Club financial holding Goldman Sachs , which also has a strong foothold in private credit, has tumbled 5.5% year to date. Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
The fire is holding along Forest Road 300 to Forest Road 9305. Caitlin McGlade, The Arizona Republic, 23 Dec. 2024 For those holding excessive stock purchased during recent years of inflated prices, the down-market may present challenges. Mark Littler, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for holding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding
Noun
  • Le Pen’s protégé While Le Pen’s supporters publicly decry the ruling, the ban will fast-track a leadership transition already underway within the party.
    Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2025
  • The ruling marks a catastrophic setback for Le Pen, the National Rally (RN) party chief and a front-runner in opinion polls on the 2027 contest.
    Elizabeth Pineau and Juliette Jabkhiro, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Every night, my father turned that tiny space into an office, sitting cross-legged in a wide armchair, hunched over the coffee table that held our most valuable possession, a new IBM Selectric typewriter.
    Philip J. Deloria, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Typically a notoriously difficult country to visit, the Russian government permitted free movement around the country to any visitors in possession of a World Cup Fan ID and match tickets.
    Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Focus On Digital Clutter Don’t overlook the importance of keeping your digital workspace organized.
    Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
  • That could put the kibosh on keeping the home.
    Bill Conerly, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • While established players often tout the breadth of their offerings, nimble and focused cybersecurity solutions are more likely to win the trust of forward-thinking CISOs and enterprises.
    James Winebrenner, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
  • For many forward-thinking leaders, coaching can be useful for integrating technical and social skills - so that Gen Z can deliver the future of work.
    Chris Westfall, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Gunfire ensued when Ratliff came out of the vault with a sack containing money.
    Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Those are akin to having put together examples of people playing a sport, some examples containing no mistakes, and other examples revealing discernable mistakes.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Purdy’s story is a reminder that having – or paying – a curious technology person can pay off in a number of ways for your company.
    Gene Marks, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
  • And that's the unique aspect of having unified control of the government.
    CBS News, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • And then owning our own answers.
    Pia Lauritzen, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
  • The Muppets Disney owning the Muppets is an absolute blessing for Kingdom Hearts.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The interior is accommodating and attractive.
    Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 2 Jan. 2025
  • The most recent leg up is a direct result of anticipation that the Fed likely will not be as accommodating in 2025 following a full percentage point cut in benchmark borrowing rates since September, according to Michael Darda, chief economist and macrostrategist at Roth Capital Partners.
    Jeff Cox, CNBC, 30 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Holding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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