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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold
Melissa L. Cooper, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Drawings are held at 10:59 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
—Tanya Wildt, Detroit Free Press, 1 Jan. 2025
Emily Brooks, The Hill, 31 Dec. 2024
On the legal front, all of his cases were put on hold or dropped.
—George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hold 
Verb
The auction of enslaved people, held at Ten Broeck Race Course in Savannah, was among the largest in American history.
—Melissa L. Cooper, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Drawings are held at 10:59 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
—Tanya Wildt, Detroit Free Press, 1 Jan. 2025
Noun
But the overwhelming Republican desire to quickly get to work on Trump’s legislative agenda could be a very powerful force in helping Johnson keep hold of the gavel.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 31 Dec. 2024
On the legal front, all of his cases were put on hold or dropped.
—George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold
Verb
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The film's gripping plot centers around florist Lily Blossom Bloom (Lively), who falls head over heels in love with a seemingly perfect neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni) and reconnects with her childhood sweetheart, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar).Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 22 Dec. 2024
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Amanda Seyfried will star in the series which follows a beat cop working as the opioid crisis grips the streets of Philadelphia.Lucy Ford, TIME, 20 Dec. 2024
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Can the Saints keep their slim playoff hopes alive, or will the Packers continue their march toward the postseason? Bundle up, grab some hot cocoa, and settle in—this one's going to be fun!Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
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He was later sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, part of what prosecutors called a plot to use force keep Donald Trump in the White House after the 2020 election.CBS News, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2024
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She is thought to have walked east from the Mather Point area, possibly toward the Bright Angel Lodge or Hermits Rest, the park service said.Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 22 Dec. 2024
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For Cardellini, who never thought the show would be so popular that people would be celebrating its 25th anniversary, this turn of events still feels shocking.CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Dec. 2024
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Authorities say the truck contained gasoline and camp fuel containers, as well as large firework mortars.Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 2 Jan. 2025
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Other Bacillus strains: Three trials (including 177 people) compared probiotic products containing strains of Bacillus.Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 1 Jan. 2025
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The child, who had a history of asthma, an elevated body-mass index and Class 2 obesity, was discharged that day with no treatment.Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2025
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When visitors have had their fill of the natural beauty, nearby Jordan Village offers shopping, restaurants, a bakery, a winery and inns in the heart of Niagara Benchlands wine country.Gary Stoller, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
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South Korea’s conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol — weakened after the liberal opposition retained control in an April election -– astonished the country by declaring martial law in a late-night announcement on Dec. 3.Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2024
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For now, Champagnie seems like a safe bet to be retained.Morten Stig Jensen, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
Verb
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This new version will specifically address the requirements of B2B invoicing, introducing the necessary features to accommodate the more intricate demands of B2B transactions.Aleksandra Bal, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025
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Our inner landscapes shifted to accommodate new forms of beauty, old forms of worship.hazlitt.net, hazlitt.net, 4 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Their common name is derived from their prehensile tails, some as long as three feet, which the animals use along with their disproportionately lanky limbs to grasp branches and other objects.Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Jan. 2025
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Arians says Brady didn’t fully grasp Tampa Bay’s offense until mid-November.Mike Jones, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Hold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.
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