as in respect
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1
as in defending
to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections
determined to uphold her views in the face of all challenges
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2
as in sustaining
to hold up or serve as a foundation for
an entablature upheld by a series of gracefully slender columns
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3
as in lifting
to move from a lower to a higher place or position
worshippers upheld their joined hands and sang the praises of the Lord
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of upholding
Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
Jared Weiss, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Trump is counting on the justices to reject the discrimination charge as a majority did in 2018 when upholding his immigration travel ban against predominantly Muslim countries.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Under the county charter, the county executive’s responsibilities include overseeing the county’s municipal departments, correcting errors in tax assessments, executing certain contracts, upholding the county charter and representing the county in general.
—Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
DeSantis has pointed to a Florida Supreme Court ruling upholding his map as the justification for redistricting.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
The case has since taken several turns, with a lower-court ruling in 2021 that the plaintiffs did not have standing and also saying that they were bound by a state Supreme Court 1985 decision upholding the 1982 law.
—ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
Hamas and multiple international organizations operating in Gaza have said Israel is not upholding its side of the deal, something Israel has denied while accusing Hamas of its own violations.
—Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
Traditional contracts place all the responsibilities, risks, and costs related to upholding human rights on suppliers.
—Sarah Dadush, Footwear News, 14 Apr. 2026
Willy laments to his stout and thankless wife, Linda (Laurie Metcalf, upholding her reputation as a Broadway MVP), that buyers on the road laugh at him — that one even called him a shrimp.
—Naveen Kumar, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
In addition, the NFL alleged that the report card surveys interfered with the union’s upholding of Article 39, Section 5, which mandates that the league and union jointly conduct an anonymous survey at least once every three years regarding players’ opinions on medical care and staff.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
The weight of internal expectations and upholding the responsibility to the team is already enough pressure to push an NBA player to their breaking point.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Trump is counting on the justices to reject the discrimination charge as a majority did in 2018 when upholding his immigration travel ban against predominantly Muslim countries.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Under the county charter, the county executive’s responsibilities include overseeing the county’s municipal departments, correcting errors in tax assessments, executing certain contracts, upholding the county charter and representing the county in general.
—Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
DeSantis has pointed to a Florida Supreme Court ruling upholding his map as the justification for redistricting.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
The case has since taken several turns, with a lower-court ruling in 2021 that the plaintiffs did not have standing and also saying that they were bound by a state Supreme Court 1985 decision upholding the 1982 law.
—ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
Hamas and multiple international organizations operating in Gaza have said Israel is not upholding its side of the deal, something Israel has denied while accusing Hamas of its own violations.
—Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
Traditional contracts place all the responsibilities, risks, and costs related to upholding human rights on suppliers.
—Sarah Dadush, Footwear News, 14 Apr. 2026
Willy laments to his stout and thankless wife, Linda (Laurie Metcalf, upholding her reputation as a Broadway MVP), that buyers on the road laugh at him — that one even called him a shrimp.
—Naveen Kumar, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upholding
Noun
-
But the pair have a grudging mutual respect that makes for a fun, strange-bedfellows partnership.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
-
Certain information has been provided by and/or is based on third party sources and, although such information is believed to be reliable, no representation is made with respect to the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of such information.—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Just as significantly, Anunoby spent much of Tuesday night defending Jalen Johnson, the resurgent Hawks’ only All-Star, who finished with a modest 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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Then Quentin Davie, the new coach of defending champion Hebron Christian and a close friend, called with an opportunity to join his staff.—
Jack Leo,
AJC.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Four people were listed in critical condition and two suffered minor injuries after sustaining stab wounds or cuts, a spokeswoman for the Tacoma Fire Department said earlier on Thursday, AP reported.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
-
Colbert converted from safety to linebacker last season and excelled on special teams before sustaining a season-ending injury in the second half of the year.—
Omar Kelly
May 1,
Miami Herald,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The Celtics started 1-for-7 from the field and fell behind 11-3 before Mazzulla made his first change, lifting Harper and sending in Payton Pritchard.—
Zack Cox,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
-
The brand says the V-design on the back of these wide-leg pants creates a butt-lifting effect.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
Noun
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Years of static budgets, staffing turnover, a culture of industry deference and a sluggish response by federal regulators have left the agency unprepared to address a contamination crisis of this size and scope, said Demonbreun-Chapman and others.—
DYLAN JACKSON,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
-
However, federal law requires that judges review arbitration awards with a high degree of deference and should only vacate them if there’s an extraordinary defect, such as the award was procured by fraud or the arbitrator failed to consider relevant evidence or follow basic legal principles.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Keep the conversation moving, and let flexibility strengthen your position and perspective while maintaining your sense of balance and fairness.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
-
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, rattlesnakes play an important role in maintaining biodiversity and are typically not aggressive, though bites can occur if the animals feel threatened.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
Verb
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The Barnstable Brown Gala, held annually ahead of the Kentucky Derby, is known for drawing celebrities and high-profile guests while supporting charitable causes.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 May 2026
-
Israel’s far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, one of several key cabinet ministers with close ties in the settler community, has been explicit about his goal of annexing the West Bank and supporting settler expansion.—
Molly Hunter,
NBC news,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Since the event’s conception in 2013, more than 60,000 donors have helped hundreds of nonprofit organizations in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties raising more than $117 million, according to the Sacramento Region Community Foundation.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
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Clark’s legal team has also highlighted the role of the lead detective in the case, who was later convicted in an unrelated matter involving perjury and evidence tampering, further raising questions about the original investigation.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upholding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upholding. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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