hold down the fort
idiom
US
: to be in charge of a place while the person who is usually in charge is away
You can stay here and hold down the fort while I go to the store.
Examples of hold down the fort in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Frogs must search for an offensive flow and hold down the fort while Miles rehabs his injury.
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Dallas News, 7 Feb. 2023
As Baylin poured her heart and soul into the record, Followill, 43, helped hold down the fort, acting as head of the at-home cheerleading squad that also includes the couple's daughter Violet, 9, and son Oliver, 4.
—Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 23 Sep. 2022
That leaves Brown, Ceyair Wright and a band of unproven outside corners to hold down the fort Saturday.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2022
Pa works in England as a joiner, gone for weeks at a time, while Ma tries to hold down the fort.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 9 Nov. 2021
See All Example Sentences for hold down the fort
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Dallas News, 7 Feb. 2023
As Baylin poured her heart and soul into the record, Followill, 43, helped hold down the fort, acting as head of the at-home cheerleading squad that also includes the couple's daughter Violet, 9, and son Oliver, 4.
—Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 23 Sep. 2022
That leaves Brown, Ceyair Wright and a band of unproven outside corners to hold down the fort Saturday.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2022
Pa works in England as a joiner, gone for weeks at a time, while Ma tries to hold down the fort.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 9 Nov. 2021
See All Example Sentences for hold down the fort
Cite this Entry
“Hold down the fort.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hold%20down%20the%20fort. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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