hole up
verb
holed up; holing up; holes up
: to hide out in or as if in a hole or cave
: to place in or as if in a refuge or hiding place
Examples of hole up in a Sentence
we'll hole up in the cellar and wait out the hurricane
Recent Examples on the Web
In 1984, an anti-separatist campaign culminated in Operation Blue Star, an Indian army assault against Sikh separatists holed up in the Golden Temple, the holiest site of Sikhism.
—
Brady Knox, Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2023
Perhaps Someone is holed up in there, tending To flames that tickle your palm warm.
—John Lee Clark, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023
Khan spent much of his time holed up in his home in Punjab province, only venturing out to seek bail in more than 170 legal cases.
—Time, 7 Aug. 2023
Evidence that being holed up indoors is detrimental to kids' mental health surmounted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which added more to the preexisting psychological distress among young people, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2023
Deputies surrounded the apartment where the suspect was believed to be holed up, alone and armed, according to the broadcast.
—oregonlive, 26 July 2023
Several senior officials canceled travel and other plans and were holed up with President Biden at Camp David as events in Russia unfolded.
—Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2023
What an image: two of the all-time great American dreamers holing up in Hollywood.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 10 Aug. 2023
That afternoon, as the political world focused on Trump’s appearance in court, Biden was holed up at his beach house.
—Toluse Olorunnipa, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2023
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Brady Knox, Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2023
Perhaps Someone is holed up in there, tending To flames that tickle your palm warm.
—John Lee Clark, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023
Khan spent much of his time holed up in his home in Punjab province, only venturing out to seek bail in more than 170 legal cases.
—Time, 7 Aug. 2023
Evidence that being holed up indoors is detrimental to kids' mental health surmounted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which added more to the preexisting psychological distress among young people, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2023
Deputies surrounded the apartment where the suspect was believed to be holed up, alone and armed, according to the broadcast.
—oregonlive, 26 July 2023
Several senior officials canceled travel and other plans and were holed up with President Biden at Camp David as events in Russia unfolded.
—Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2023
What an image: two of the all-time great American dreamers holing up in Hollywood.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 10 Aug. 2023
That afternoon, as the political world focused on Trump’s appearance in court, Biden was holed up at his beach house.
—Toluse Olorunnipa, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hole up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1875, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Dictionary Entries Near hole up
Cite this Entry
“Hole up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hole%20up. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
hole up
verb
: to take shelter in or as if in a hole or cave
More from Merriam-Webster on hole up
Britannica English: Translation of hole up for Arabic Speakers
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