foothold

noun

foot·​hold ˈfu̇t-ˌhōld How to pronounce foothold (audio)
Synonyms of footholdnext
1
: a hold for the feet : footing
2
: a position usable as a base for further advance
The company secured a foothold in the market.

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
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.
Above him, the rim of pavement was unforgiving, stripped of any foothold, unlike the driver to his right who caught a seam and hauled himself out. Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026 Attempting to gain a foothold in the Brill Building, the pair first caught the attention of Jerry Wexler, who had Clyde McPhatter and LaVern Baker cut a couple of their tunes. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026 The acquisition will give Eaton an attractive foothold in liquid cooling, a technology that helps keep AI chips from Nvidia and others from overheating. Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2026 That stagnation comes as millions of young adults are already struggling to gain a foothold in the market, with many falling into the category of NEET—not in education, employment, or training. Preston Fore, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for foothold

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foothold was circa 1577

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Cite this Entry

“Foothold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foothold. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

foothold

noun
foot·​hold -ˌhōld How to pronounce foothold (audio)
1
: a hold for the feet : footing
2
: a position usable as a base for further advance

More from Merriam-Webster on foothold

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