beholden

adjective

be·​hold·​en bi-ˈhōl-dən How to pronounce beholden (audio)
bē-
: being under obligation for a favor or gift : indebted
I'm beholden to you

Did you know?

To behold something is to perceive or gaze upon it—therefore, to be beholden is to be seen or observed, right? Not so fast! It’s true that behold and beholden share the same Old English roots, and also that beholden originated as the past participle of behold, whose original meaning was “to hold or retain.” But the two words weaved and wended their way down different paths into present-day English. Behold had settled into its “perceive, see” use by the 12th century. Meanwhile, beholden was called into duty as the “indebted, obligated” adjective we know today by the 14th century, as evidenced by its appearance in the Middle-English poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In the ensuing years, beholden has continued to describe people who are obligated to others (often for a favor or gift), as well as people or things that are in figurative debt due to aid or inspiration, as in “many contemporary books and films are beholden to old Arthurian legends.”

Examples of beholden in a Sentence

not wanting to be beholden to anyone, he insisted on paying his own way
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Already inclined to listen to Tehran, Damascus has now become thoroughly beholden. Reuel Marc Gerecht, Foreign Affairs, 7 Sep. 2023 Apologizing for playing a part in your feeling so beholden. Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 24 Jan. 2024 My natural dishwater hue is now beholden as a covetable blonde shade on the internet. Shelby Wax, Allure, 29 Feb. 2024 The appointment was a major concession for McCarthy, but, from his perspective, turning an insurgent into a beholden ally was a matter of survival. Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2023 See all Example Sentences for beholden 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from past participle of beholden

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of beholden was in the 14th century

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Dictionary Entries Near beholden

Cite this Entry

“Beholden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beholden. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

beholden

adjective
be·​hold·​en bi-ˈhōl-dən How to pronounce beholden (audio)
: being indebted for a favor or gift
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