take hold

idiomatic phrase

1

: to grasp, grip, or seize something

took hold and hung on tight

—often used with of

take hold of the railing

… she took hold of his arm with both her hands, and looked up eagerly—oh, with such terrible eagerness!—into his face.

—Anthony Trollope

—often used figuratively

As word of the subpoenas spread … confusion and hysteria took hold of the social set …

—Bob Colacello

I did not want Merlin to retire from the job until I was ready to take hold of it effectively myself …

—Mark Twain

2

: to become effective, established, or popular

The change in the law has not yet taken hold.

… a swath of land that has been spared from lava flows long enough that rich vegetation has had a chance to take hold.

—G. Brad Lewis

… here in central California the French aesthetic has recently taken hold.

—Rebecca Coffey

Examples of take hold in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In Robert Eggers' period psychological thriller, Dafoe is a salty and kooky lighthouse keeper who mentors a young rookie (Robert Pattinson), and even nonstop drinking can't stop severe isolation from taking hold of the newbie. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2025

Following years of consistent broadband customer growth, especially during the early Covid pandemic lockdown orders when many Americans used home internet for work and school, the green shoots of competing offerings began to take hold. —Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2025

At the best hotel pools, a slower rhythm takes hold and all is right in the world (at least for that afternoon). —Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 23 Apr. 2025

Benefits of Leaving the Shower Curtain Open Leaving your shower curtain open can help prevent moisture from getting trapped, which would encourage mold and mildew to take hold, says Mock. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for take hold

• copyhold
• decontrolled
• hundredfold
• manifold
• marigold
• oversold
• petioled
• sevenfold
• stranglehold
• subthreshold
• thousandfold
• uncontrolled