hold together

phrasal verb

held together; holding together; holds together
1
: to stay joined together or in one piece
The empire held together for many decades.
2
: to cause (something) to stay joined together or in one piece
The coach hopes to hold the team together for at least one more season.
The box was held together by a strong glue.

Examples of hold together in a Sentence

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.
All hell breaks loose, but it’s held together by her mesmeric, totally committed turn. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 12 Jan. 2026 The whole thing was just barely held together by bailing wire, duct tape and Band-Aids. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 9 Jan. 2026 Jennings is held together by tape, adrenaline, and pure spite. Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026 Granted, the Chargers’ experience hasn’t been positive, but experienced rosters tend to play more composed in such games, even if held together by surgical screws and athletic tape. J.j. Bailey, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hold together

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hold together.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hold%20together. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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