Definition of footholdnext
as in base
a place from which an advance (as for military operations) is made don't let the opposing team push us back down the field and gain a foothold

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of foothold The Borrego also had the misfortune to debut during the 2008 financial crisis — a terrible time to try to win a foothold for a larger, more expensive vehicle. Keith Laing, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026 As long as those countries are represented in the NBA, Horford believed that basketball’s foothold is only set to grow. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026 That is how the anti-interventionist faction gained a foothold in the party to begin with. Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026 Rogers, now a partner in the technology giant’s enterprise cloud division, and Monaco, who was tapped to be the firm’s global affairs president, took actions that helped GCC obtain and maintain a lucrative foothold within the federal government. Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 23 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for foothold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foothold
Noun
  • The Sweet Heat Pepperoni Pizookie is made with a Chocolate Chunk Pizookie base, two scoops of vanilla bean ice cream, pepperoni, and a drizzle of Mike's Hot Honey.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The denial was issued a few days ago and concerned American aircraft, including bombers, which were supposed to land at the base before continuing toward the Middle East, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
    Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Barkov hasn’t played all season after undergoing surgery to repair the ACL and MCL in his right knee early in training camp.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Dillon is here to compete for a short-yardage role and serve as insurance in case Brooks suffers a setback in camp.
    Mike Kaye March 26, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • When a crew member is found dead and another goes missing, military investigators board the floating fortress, with its 2,000-strong crew and nuclear payload, to hunt for the truth before the murder becomes a global security crisis.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
  • One focus of Russian attacks has been the town of Lyman in Donetsk, at the edge of what’s known as Ukraine’s fortress belt in the region, and a key strongpoint guarding the larger city of Sloviansk.
    Tim Lister, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Foothold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foothold. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

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