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

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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 But the incident will no doubt deal a blow to not only Blue Origin's ambitions of gaining ground on commercial spaceflight competitor SpaceX, but also to NASA's ambitions of establishing a foothold on the moon. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 29 May 2026 Blue Origin, which Amazon's Bezos founded back in 2000, sees the 320-foot-tall (98 meters) New Glenn as its launch workhorse, a powerhouse rocket that will help humanity establish a foothold away from Earth. Mike Wall, Space.com, 29 May 2026 The story of this pivotal moment in World War II, which gave the Allies a foothold in mainland Europe and spelled the beginning of the end for Adolf Hitler’s forces, has been recounted in countless books, movies and miniseries. Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 29 May 2026 Meanwhile, some of America’s largest AI companies have also established footholds on campus. Jared Perlo, NBC news, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for foothold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foothold
Noun
  • The company’s shares are down 16% year to date as investors worry its businesses are being eaten up by competitors and that Copilot’s user base leaves a lot to be desired.
    Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 2 June 2026
  • Under its Artemis campaign, NASA plans to use a series of both uncrewed and human moon landings to construct a $20 billion moon base near the lunar south pole, where astronauts can live and work indefinitely.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • The names of the camp manager, warden, and assistant warden have never been made publicly available.
    Eric Schlosser, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026
  • Although his client safely returned to base camp, Dawa Sherpa never arrived, triggering growing concern as climbing teams left the mountain and seasonal route infrastructure was dismantled.
    Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • Behind the digital fortress of the apps, men have taken to upselling themselves to increase their odds of an in-person date, a development that prospective matches are none too thrilled with.
    Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
  • The teller’s arm swept around the long-hut, the circular walls of the fortress that enclosed them in its embrace.
    Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Foothold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foothold. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.

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