beholden to

idiom

formal

: owing a favor or gift to (someone) : having obligations to (someone)

politicians who are beholden to special interest groups

She works for herself, and so is beholden to no one.

Examples of beholden to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Previously, circuit court nominations were also beholden to approval via blue slips. —Olivia-Anne Cleary, Time, 12 Dec. 2025

Against the ideologues, Boyle portrayed Goethe as a changeable creature, beholden to historical shifts in power but able to turn them to his advantage with daring and dignity. —Merve Emre, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025

Republicans hit Kelly in 2020 as beholden to China, citing capital funding from a Chinese technology company used to help get World View Enterprises, a company Kelly co-founded, up and running in Tucson. —Ronald J. Hansen, AZCentral.com, 23 Nov. 2025

Several pension funds have come out against the package, arguing that the board of directors is too beholden to Musk, his behavior too reckless lately and the riches offered too much. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for beholden to

• hullabaloo
• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup