uphold

verb

up·​hold (ˌ)əp-ˈhōld 

upheld (ˌ)əp-ˈheld  ; upholding

transitive verb

1

a

: to give support to

b

: to support against an opponent

2

a

: to keep elevated

b

: to lift up

upholder noun

Synonyms

• defend
• justify
• maintain
• support

Choose the Right Synonym for uphold

support, uphold, advocate, back, champion mean to favor actively one that meets opposition.

support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.

supports waterfront development

uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.

upheld the legitimacy of the military action

advocate stresses urging or pleading.

advocated prison reform

back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.

refusing to back the call for sanctions

champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.

championed the rights of children

Examples of uphold in a Sentence

He took an oath to uphold the Constitution.

They have a responsibility to uphold the law.

The Court of Appeals upheld his conviction.

Recent Examples on the Web

On Tuesday, the state’s highest court upheld the territorial-era law. —Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 12 Apr. 2024

The announcement comes just days after the Arizona Supreme Court upheld an 1864 law in the state banning nearly all abortions. —Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 12 Apr. 2024

The court upheld all of the group's other convictions. —Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024

Once he is sworn in as chief, Mitchell would have a big say in whether to uphold any decisions out of appeal hearings. —David Debolt, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024

House Republican lawmakers approved articles of impeachment against him in February with a slim majority, and against bipartisan opposition, accusing the secretary of willfully refusing to uphold U.S. immigration law at the southern border. —Michael Wilner, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024

He was sentenced to death for each murder, court records show, and his conviction and death sentence have previously been upheld on appeal. —Dakin Andone, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024

The union called the move to eliminate 8% of majors and 5% of faculty a failure of university leadership to uphold its mission as a land-grant institution, charged since the 1800s with educating rural students who historically had been excluded from higher education. —Leah Willingham, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Apr. 2024

In January, the Supreme Court quietly issued an order upholding the ban. —Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing uphold

• uphold the decision

Kids Definition

uphold

verb

up·​hold (ˌ)əp-ˈhōld 

upheld -ˈheld  ; upholding

1

: to give support to

promise to uphold the law

2

a

: to keep elevated

b

: to lift up

upholder noun

Legal Definition

uphold

transitive verb

up·​hold

upheld; upholding

: to judge valid : let stand

uphold an award

specifically : to hold constitutional

uphold the practice of having religious invocations and benedictions at high school graduation ceremonies

—Sands v. Morongo Unified Sch. Dist., 809 P.2d 809 (1991)(dissent)

uphold a statute