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.
Chevron, however, is there for the long haul, and other firms with a foothold in the Orinoco, such as Eni, Repsol, and TotalEnergies, along with oil-services giants like SLB (former Schlumberger) and Halliburton seem interested. Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026 Even if a party besides the junta’s proxy party, the Union Solidarity & Development Party, gains a foothold in the election, the military is already guaranteed a quarter of the seats in both houses of parliament under the 2008 constitution. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 23 Jan. 2026 Today, their three daughters work in the wine trade and maintain a foothold in the family estate. Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 22 Jan. 2026 Turkey did the same to gain a bigger foothold. Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 22 Jan. 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 28 Jan. 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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