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

Management noted some encouraging signs, including a better-than-expected back-to-school performance, but questions remain over how much longer the turnaround strategy would need to take hold. —Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025

If diplomatic assurances succeed in inducing mutual restraint, and 2027 passes without incident, then a new stability in the western Pacific could take hold, anchoring the security and prosperity of a vital and dynamic region. —Stephen Wertheim, Foreign Affairs, 28 Oct. 2025

As hours turn to days, food and water run out, and fear begins to take hold. —Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025

Hamas has moved quickly to reassert control of parts of Gaza where Israeli forces had withdrawn after the ceasefire took hold. —Ibrahim Dahman, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 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