hold against
phrasal verb
held against; holding against; holds against
: to use (something) as a reason to have a bad opinion of (someone)
He lied to her once, and she still holds it against him.
Nobody is going to hold it against you if you don't come.
Examples of hold against in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Upon arriving at the home, police found that the child’s mother was allegedly being held against her will by 29-year-old Glenroy Miller of the Bahamas.
—
Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
Their performance in Tallahassee shouldn't be held against the Tide all season.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Canizares and her boyfriend’s home after Canizares called 911 and said she was being held against her will, according to a report obtained Tuesday.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
That’s about the same width as an outstretched fist held against the sky.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold against
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
Their performance in Tallahassee shouldn't be held against the Tide all season.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Canizares and her boyfriend’s home after Canizares called 911 and said she was being held against her will, according to a report obtained Tuesday.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
That’s about the same width as an outstretched fist held against the sky.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold against
Cite this Entry
“Hold against.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hold%20against. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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