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

Using that composure to gain a foothold and feed Messi consistently in dangerous areas between the lines will be key to their chances. — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 20 July 2026

The model gives entrepreneurs a proof-of-concept foothold, a chance to operate in the core before committing to a lease. — Jasmine Browley, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Norm-setter The strengthening foothold of Chinese AI models globally may help China’s ambitions to lead the technology’s proliferation and regulation. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 17 July 2026

The discovery closes the last major gap in the species' Northern Hemisphere range and gives researchers a rare chance to watch an invasive species gain a foothold in a new ecosystem. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 15 July 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