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 sentiment of style being sacrosanct at Old Trafford may have softened somewhat given their malaise in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson years, but the practicality that proved numbingly successful at Wembley that day appears to be taking hold in this season’s Premier League. —Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025

But inflation has been sticky as tariffs take hold, and Griffin predicted inflation will continue to be in the mid-2% to 3% range next year, still above the Fed’s 2% target. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025

Here are the top national parks for witnessing mother nature’s last gasp before winter takes hold—and the best fall adventures in each park. —Graham Averill, Outside, 26 Sep. 2025

Ben Leonberg's innovative thriller unfurls a supernatural narrative from a canine point of view, and Indy the dog stars as the loyal best friend who becomes concerned about his owner when dark forces seem to be taking hold of him in their new rural home. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 25 Sep. 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