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

The perfectly transparent water looks light turquoise and is completely free of plants because roots can’t take hold in the bubbling flow. —Aaron Randolph, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025

Famine has taken hold in two cities in Sudan’s Darfur region, after a siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces which has been accused of mass killings. —Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2025

Under the surface of the big-brand fatigue and the compliance grind, a new rhythm is taking hold, one built around competence, collaboration, and execution. —Gus Bartholomew, Sourcing Journal, 3 Nov. 2025

Carvalho highlights that, as the quantum computing era takes hold, blockchain and online payment platforms with zero quantum proof may become easily hackable. —Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 3 Nov. 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