foothold
noun
foot·hold
ˈfu̇t-ˌhōld 
1
: a hold for the feet : footing
2
: a position usable as a base for further advance
Examples of foothold in a Sentence
The army gained a foothold on the island.
The company has secured a foothold in the market.
Recent Examples on the Web
Current Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who switched the Solomons’ allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing and ignited fears of China gaining a naval foothold in the South Pacific, is seeking an unprecedented second consecutive term at the government’s helm.
—
Rod McGuirk, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Apr. 2024
As Europe scrambles to get a foothold in the A.I. revolution, the French government has singled out Mistral as its best hope to create a standard-bearer, and has lobbied European Union policymakers to help ensure the firm’s success.
—Adam Satariano, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Six dangerous invasive mosquitos have been caught in East San Jose, and the Santa Clara County Vector Control District is asking residents for help to keep them from gaining a foothold in the Bay Area.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2024
First-time homebuyers, in particular, have struggled to get a foothold in the market.
—Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024
Any writer or editor will appreciate her warmth and empathy, her grasp of craft, and her willingness to help writers get a foothold even when not accepting their manuscript.
—Longreads, 5 Apr. 2024
Though top Russian officials frequently point to Afghanistan under the Taliban as a growing node of terrorism, Moscow may be even more worried about the hypothetical military and intelligence foothold that stronger U.S.-Taliban ties might lead to.
—Asfandyar Mir, Foreign Affairs, 14 Mar. 2024
Most have arrived from the Global South without major gallery representation or a foothold in the museum circuit.
—Zachary Small, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
At this time of year, as warmer weather finds a foothold, moderate afternoons may often follow chilly mornings.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
Rod McGuirk, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Apr. 2024
As Europe scrambles to get a foothold in the A.I. revolution, the French government has singled out Mistral as its best hope to create a standard-bearer, and has lobbied European Union policymakers to help ensure the firm’s success.
—Adam Satariano, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Six dangerous invasive mosquitos have been caught in East San Jose, and the Santa Clara County Vector Control District is asking residents for help to keep them from gaining a foothold in the Bay Area.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2024
First-time homebuyers, in particular, have struggled to get a foothold in the market.
—Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024
Any writer or editor will appreciate her warmth and empathy, her grasp of craft, and her willingness to help writers get a foothold even when not accepting their manuscript.
—Longreads, 5 Apr. 2024
Though top Russian officials frequently point to Afghanistan under the Taliban as a growing node of terrorism, Moscow may be even more worried about the hypothetical military and intelligence foothold that stronger U.S.-Taliban ties might lead to.
—Asfandyar Mir, Foreign Affairs, 14 Mar. 2024
Most have arrived from the Global South without major gallery representation or a foothold in the museum circuit.
—Zachary Small, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
At this time of year, as warmer weather finds a foothold, moderate afternoons may often follow chilly mornings.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foothold.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near foothold
Cite this Entry
“Foothold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foothold. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
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