uphold

verb

up·​hold (ˌ)əp-ˈhōld How to pronounce uphold (audio)
upheld (ˌ)əp-ˈheld How to pronounce uphold (audio) ; 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
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 The district is still fighting a subsequent lawsuit from the ACLU, which alleged the district has not upheld its commitments to address the problem. Rory Linnane, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2024 These squeezable bottles offer a more functional and fun way to weave EVOO into your cooking routine—while upholding the strict quality standards of California EVOO production. Jenna Anderson, Sunset Magazine, 6 Mar. 2024 The aim is to uphold common global standards for expressing the planet’s history. Raymond Zhong, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 While some American officials continue to attack strong encryption as an enabler of child abuse and other crimes, a key European court has upheld it as fundamental to the basic right to privacy. Joseph Menn, Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2024 The Supreme Court reversed the appeals court ruling, upheld that law and denied Hardin’s challenge in a 6-1 ruling. Calmatters, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 Among other things, the accords are a statement of values about such things as the importance of sharing scientific data; preserving historically significant human and robotic landing sites; and upholding the Outer Space Treaty, which endorses the peaceful use of celestial bodies. David W. Brown, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 The panel, consisting of one representative from the U.S. Soccer Federation, one representative from the Canadian Soccer Assn., and one independent representative nominated by the Professional Referee Organization, watched video of the incident and upheld the challenge. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Regular audits by field teams are part of our commitment to uphold the highest standards across all locations, covering critical areas such as education quality and safety protocols. Gigi Schweikert, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'uphold.' 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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of uphold was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near uphold

Cite this Entry

“Uphold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uphold. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

uphold

verb
up·​hold (ˌ)əp-ˈhōld How to pronounce uphold (audio)
upheld -ˈheld How to pronounce uphold (audio) ; 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

More from Merriam-Webster on uphold

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