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

At that time, a new religious movement called The Ghost Dance, which involved a ceremonial ritual of dance and prayer, began taking hold in Native communities. —Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 25 Nov. 2025

All the while, a dangerous idea began to take hold. —Christina Kovac, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025

By the time warm-season grasses germinate in late spring, annual grassy weeds have taken hold and outcompete the young seedlings. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2025

Proponents strongly disagree, pointing to the rapid adoption of products like ChatGPT and counseling patience as other uses of the technology take hold. —ABC News, 22 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