foothold

noun

foot·​hold ˈfu̇t-ˌhōld 

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.

Synonyms of foothold

• base
• camp
• fortress

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

Some went to cities that have long been magnets for immigrants — New York, Miami — but increasingly, others found their way to smaller cities with less developed immigrant footholds. — Will Jarrett, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026

However, Anheuser-Busch Inbev's strengthening foothold in non-beer beverage categories could drive shares higher, according to Deutsche Bank. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026

Lee agreed that the scenario is realistic if an attacker gains a foothold. — Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026

Ronson uses Chism’s guilelessness to show how unexpected and profound the pitfalls can be for anyone looking to find a foothold in the new world. — Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for foothold

• ahold
• behold
• billfold
• blindfold
• cajoled
• consoled
• controlled
• cotswold
• eightfold
• enfold
• enrolled
• extolled

Kids Definition

foothold

noun

foot·​hold -ˌhōld 

1

: a hold for the feet : footing

2

: a position usable as a base for further advance