hole up

verb

holed up; holing up; holes up

intransitive verb

: to hide out in or as if in a hole or cave

transitive verb

: to place in or as if in a refuge or hiding place

Synonyms of hole up

• hide
• lurk
• lie

Examples of hole up in a Sentence

we'll hole up in the cellar and wait out the hurricane

Recent Examples on the Web

Kewan Lacy, the nation’s third-leading rusher, burst through a hole up the middle for a 73-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter — the longest run allowed by Miami’s defense since 2018. —Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026

Kewan Lacy, the nation’s third-leading rusher, burst through a hole up the middle for a 73-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter — the longest run against the Miami defense since 2018. —John Marshall, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026

Kewan Lacy, the nation’s third-leading rusher, burst through a hole up the middle for a 73-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter — the longest run allowed by Miami’s defense since 2018. —Dallas Morning News, 8 Jan. 2026

A lot of it was just that — holed up in a house. —Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 28 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for hole up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup

Kids Definition

hole up

verb

: to take shelter in or as if in a hole or cave