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

This is where gas exchange occurs, and infections take hold. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026

Each year, the cycle begins anew in Asia, where novel strains first take hold. —Noelle Harff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025

The uptick, per the BRC, suggests that reporting standards are beginning to take hold across transport partners, though coverage and consistency still vary. —Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 31 Dec. 2025

Showers are likely for New Year's Eve celebrations in the Bay Area and Central Coast, as a wet weather pattern is expected to take hold for the first few days of 2026. —Tim Fang, CBS News, 31 Dec. 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