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

For Shea, festival partners such as Tokyo give the Academy a foothold in each region. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Oct. 2026

Since partnering with Jack Tobin Agency two years ago, Zankov has grown his brand’s international business more than tenfold and doubled its global stockist network, strengthening its foothold across Europe and North America. — Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2026

By Cox’s thinking, however, increasing minority representation in Hollywood means giving a share of work to Californians looking for a foothold in the industry who also reflect the diversity of the state. — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2026

Republicans are battling to keep their top-of-the-ticket foothold in a state that will, once more, stand at the center of the presidential campaign. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 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