1
a
: a hold or place of support for the toes (as in climbing)
b(1)
: a means of progressing (as in surmounting barriers)
(2)
: a slight footing
used his money to get a toehold, then a foothold, then a near stranglehold on the political economy—
R. W. Armstrong
R. W. Armstrong2
: an illegal wrestling hold in which the aggressor bends or twists the other wrestler's foot
Examples of toehold in a Sentence
American companies looking for toeholds in foreign markets.
Recent Examples on the Web
Tesla operates its Fremont, California, factory with nonunion labor, as the UAW has struggled to find a toehold at the plant.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 15 Sep. 2023
In addition to its incredible Nasdaq debut, VinFast has worked hard to gain a toehold in the American market this year, breaking ground on a multibillion-dollar manufacturing plant outside of Raleigh, North Carolina, this summer.
—Rafi Schwartz, The Week, 19 Aug. 2023
At first, moving from the nearby city of Mission to a colonia seemed like an opportunity to gain a toehold on the real estate ladder.
—Edgar Sandoval, BostonGlobe.com, 29 July 2023
The merger would have given Illumina a toehold in a still-emerging market for multi-cancer early detection tests, where Grail was positioned to become a force.
—Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 27 July 2023
Now, with hustle and a little help, the family has gained a toehold in New York City.
—Raúl Vilchis Christopher Lee, New York Times, 13 July 2023
Those efforts have so far made little dent in the group’s operations, including its push to deepen a toehold in several African and Middle Eastern nations.
—Bloomberg.com, 4 June 2023
The doughnut business turned out to be ideal for immigrant families looking to establish an economic toehold in America: The shops require relatively little start-up capital.
—Alyssa Fowers, Washington Post, 2 June 2023
But as long as scammers and Twitter exist, keeping a toehold on the platform might be a good thing.
—Max Eddy, PCMAG, 1 June 2023
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Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 15 Sep. 2023
In addition to its incredible Nasdaq debut, VinFast has worked hard to gain a toehold in the American market this year, breaking ground on a multibillion-dollar manufacturing plant outside of Raleigh, North Carolina, this summer.
—Rafi Schwartz, The Week, 19 Aug. 2023
At first, moving from the nearby city of Mission to a colonia seemed like an opportunity to gain a toehold on the real estate ladder.
—Edgar Sandoval, BostonGlobe.com, 29 July 2023
The merger would have given Illumina a toehold in a still-emerging market for multi-cancer early detection tests, where Grail was positioned to become a force.
—Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 27 July 2023
Now, with hustle and a little help, the family has gained a toehold in New York City.
—Raúl Vilchis Christopher Lee, New York Times, 13 July 2023
Those efforts have so far made little dent in the group’s operations, including its push to deepen a toehold in several African and Middle Eastern nations.
—Bloomberg.com, 4 June 2023
The doughnut business turned out to be ideal for immigrant families looking to establish an economic toehold in America: The shops require relatively little start-up capital.
—Alyssa Fowers, Washington Post, 2 June 2023
But as long as scammers and Twitter exist, keeping a toehold on the platform might be a good thing.
—Max Eddy, PCMAG, 1 June 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'toehold.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Dictionary Entries Near toehold
Cite this Entry
“Toehold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toehold. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
toehold
noun
toe·hold
ˈtō-ˌhōld 
: a hold or support for the toes (as in climbing)
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