Synonyms of hold
-
as in to grip 
-
as in to keep
-
as in to think
-
as in to contain
-
as in to have
-
as in to retain
-
as in to accommodate
-
as in to grasp
-
as in to consider
-
as in to regulate
-
as in to aim
-
as in grip
-
as in stronghold
-
as in sway
-
as in contact
-
as in jail
-
as in understanding
-
as in imprisonment
-
Synonym Chooser
-
Example Sentences
-
Phrases Containing
-
Entries Near
-
Related Articles
1
as in to grip
to have or keep in one's hands
this casserole dish is too hot to hold, so grab a potholder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to keep
to continue to have in one's possession or power
she, and she alone, held the keys to the mysterious chest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to think
to have as an opinion
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in to have
to keep in one's mind or heart
still held her close to his heart, though they had long parted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to retain
to keep, control, or experience as one's own
the same family has held this piece of land for over 100 years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
as in to grasp
to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms
please hold my arm on these slippery stairs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
10
as in to regulate
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
we managed to hold our laughter until we got outside hold your temper until you hear the whole story
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in to aim
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal
held the camera on the actor throughout the scene
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in grip
the act or manner of holding
make sure you have a firm hold on the chain saw before you turn it on
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stronghold
a structure or place from which one can resist attack
the ruins of an ancient Roman hold
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in sway
the right or means to command or control others
the government has no hold over where we live and work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in contact
the state or fact of being able to exchange information regarding one's current situation
I worry that I won't be able to get hold of you in an emergency
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
upon hearing the guilty verdict, the accused realized that he would lie in that godforsaken hold for the remainder of his life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in understanding
the knowledge gained from the process of coming to know or understand something
I need to get hold of the situation before planning a course of action
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in imprisonment
the state of being held in lawful custody
a suspected terrorist who was abducted at an airport and put in hold at an undisclosed location
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 hold
Bernadette Toh, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
Dooley untied the cord that held the bundle together like a Christmas present.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Needham upgraded Applovin to buy from hold with a $700 price target.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold
Verb
UltraGreen holds an 85% market share in the US for its fluorescent dye used in surgical imaging, despite raising the average cost of its dye vials in the market by 60% and 30% in 2023 and 2024.
—Bernadette Toh, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
Dooley untied the cord that held the bundle together like a Christmas present.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
But instead of leaving, the officers insisted on taking him into custody for his own safety under California’s Welfare and Institutions Code, known as a 5150 hold.
—Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Needham upgraded Applovin to buy from hold with a $700 price target.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold
Verb
-
There’s something about gripping weights at the gym with my fresh stiletto set on that feels so powerful.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
22 Jan. 2026
-
The juvenile sat there for more than an hour as troopers waited for wildlife officials to arrive, with local broadcasters capturing gripping footage of the cub in the middle of the roadway.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said in a statement after a Border Patrol agent shot and killed a 37-year-old man that Senate Democrats won't support keeping the government fully open while also funding DHS.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Once the snow starts falling, keep all outside vents clear of snow.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
His body was laid in state not far from the Spanish Steps — thousands queued over the two days to bid their farewells to the designer, the first, and in many ways the only, Italian to break into French haute couture back in Fifties, a postwar epoch when things like that were thought impossible.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
You'd be forgiven for thinking that money might be playing a role here.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The current edition, DSM-5-TR, contains more than 300 distinct mental disorders such as schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder and alcohol use disorder.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Electronic waste from phones, laptops and more contains high concentrations of valuable metals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, copper, gold and silver.—
Kristen Edgreen Kaufman,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Boston's David Pastrnak had an assist on Lindholm's goal to extend his scoring streak to four games, with four goals and four assists in that span.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
While past studies have shown that dairy products may have a protective effect against dementia, how specific dairy products affect cognitive health remains unclear.—
Julia Ries Wexler,
Health,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Rhiyo retained with help from Stephanie Vaquer.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Hunting lions can contribute to the animals retaining a natural fear of humans and dogs.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In October 2014, MSHSL began deliberating on how to accommodate transgender athletes.—
Jordan Shearer,
Twin Cities,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The Meraviglia Plus-class MSC Grandiosa continues the trend, accommodating more than 6,300 passengers at full capacity as the larger of MSC Cruises’ two ships at Port Canaveral (the other is the MSC Seashore).—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Americans can understand complex information and grasp the importance of watching trend lines.—
Deborah L. Birx,
STAT,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Ideological innovation within the movement has only accelerated since 2016, leaving political scientists, pundits, and an elite liberal public struggling to grasp MAGA both past and present.—
Jason Blakely,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
