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.
But as fuel prices fluctuate amid the war in Iran, the White House has, perhaps inadvertently, provided an opportunity for sustainable power alternatives to gain a greater foothold — at least on film and television productions. Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026 But apart from a few good counter-attacks early on, Spurs struggled to get a foothold in the game, or to stem the flow when Sunderland took control. Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026 The Delta launch gives Canada a new foothold in a part of the battery market that has long been dominated by foreign processors. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026 Additional footholds in Aspen and Hawaii follow a familiar pattern of buying adjacent homes within the same enclave. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 20 Apr. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foothold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foothold. Accessed 28 Apr. 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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster