1
as in ruling
a decision made by a court or tribunal regarding a case it has heard
the court's holding was based on an interpretation of the First Amendment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in possession
usually holdings plural
transportable items that one owns
the museum's holdings of ancient manuscripts are among the rarest in the world
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in clutching
to have or keep in one's hands
this casserole dish is too hot to hold, so grab a potholder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in keeping
to continue to have in one's possession or power
she, and she alone, held the keys to the mysterious chest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in thinking
to have as an opinion
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in containing
to have within
the mysterious chest held an ancient book on magic spells and potions
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in having
to keep in one's mind or heart
still held her close to his heart, though they had long parted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in owning
to keep, control, or experience as one's own
the same family has held this piece of land for over 100 years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in accommodating
to make or have room for
the couple needed to rent a hall that would hold 300 people
Synonyms & Similar Words
8
as in grasping
to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms
please hold my arm on these slippery stairs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in considering
to think of in a particular way
held to be the best blueberry pies in the state
Synonyms & Similar Words
10
as in controlling
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in aiming
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal
held the camera on the actor throughout the scene
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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
Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 10 Dec. 2024
In the following decade, the family expanded their holdings by purchasing the Hayfields Country Club in Hunt Valley, Md.
—Jordana Comiter, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
Guney Yildiz, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
In his own testimony, auctioneer Jeff Tanenbaum defended the sale process when Jones’ lawyers pressed him over not holding a live auction.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for holding 
Noun
Last week, Adams boasted that the value of his crypto holdings have surged since Trump’s election.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 10 Dec. 2024
In the following decade, the family expanded their holdings by purchasing the Hayfields Country Club in Hunt Valley, Md.
—Jordana Comiter, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
Delaying, holding onto outmoded tactics, may keep Ankara aligned with its old image of control, but risks leaving it on the sidelines as other players lock in gains.
—Guney Yildiz, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
In his own testimony, auctioneer Jeff Tanenbaum defended the sale process when Jones’ lawyers pressed him over not holding a live auction.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for holding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding
Noun
-
Representatives for Willis and Trump’s lead attorney in Georgia did not immediately respond Thursday to text messages seeking comment on the ruling.Kate Brumback, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
-
The criminal case against former Uvalde school police chief Pete Arredondo will move ahead after a judge’s ruling Thursday.Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Luigi Mangione, 26, was arrested on weapons charges and was said to be in possession of a gun similar to the one used in the shooting.Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
-
The 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from Maryland is facing several other charges, including forgery and criminal possession of a weapon.Alexandra Banner, CNN, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Customers have trusted banks with custody of their assets for centuries, believing a bank vault is safer than keeping wealth under the mattress.Lior Lamesh, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
-
The pair have been keeping busy since the election.Melissa Cruz, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The aftermath of the presidential election, however, has left me thinking about crypto’s influence differently.Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 11 Dec. 2024
-
The bottom line is that women need to start thinking of their exit strategies from their businesses earlier.Melissa Houston, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The pistol was loaded with a Glock magazine containing six nine-millimeter full metal jacket rounds.Molly Bohannon, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
-
Slow Cooker Beef Stew Stews provide a warm mix of foods in one pot, usually containing meat and vegetables.Merve Ceylan, Health, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
But to have the engine running well, having Wall Street analyst sponsorship is worth a few cylinders.Cody Slach, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
-
When having fun is far down the list of priorities, sleeping with a delivery guy could be revolutionary.Peter Debruge, Variety, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
However, owning the account wasn’t his main priority.Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 11 Dec. 2024
-
People prohibited from owning guns, like felons, can readily obtain ghost guns, which do not bear serial numbers, unlike firearms made by companies and bought from licensed dealers.Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
In accommodating a young family, Ainscough’s brief meant carving out special—and sometimes small—spaces.Katherine Burns Olson, Architectural Digest, 27 Nov. 2024
-
With logistics, businesses should consider how accommodating their properties and buildings are to a microgrid construction process.Tracy Price, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Articles Related to holding
Thesaurus Entries Near holding
Cite this Entry
“Holding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share