as in grip
the act or manner of holding
she tried to maintain her tight handhold on the umbrella as the wind picked up
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Recent Examples of handhold
Instead of using natural handholds in the rock, via ferrata climbers move almost exclusively using artificial hardware drilled into the rock face, such as chains, cables, bridges, and ladders, and are attached to these fixtures via a tether and harness at all times.
—
Owen Clarke, Outside, 29 Sep. 2025
The entire playground has a spongy surface; there is specialized seating and handholds.
—Yadira Sanchez Olson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
Aesthetically, the two varieties are traditional, bulky grip handles that attach to either side of the handhold and the flap-out style that connect on only one side.
—New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2025
The current suits are also optimized for moving about in zero gravity using handholds, so their hip, waist, and knee joints aren’t particularly flexible.
—Rachel Courtland, IEEE Spectrum, 30 Sep. 2015
See All Example Sentences for handhold
Owen Clarke, Outside, 29 Sep. 2025
The entire playground has a spongy surface; there is specialized seating and handholds.
—Yadira Sanchez Olson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
Aesthetically, the two varieties are traditional, bulky grip handles that attach to either side of the handhold and the flap-out style that connect on only one side.
—New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2025
The current suits are also optimized for moving about in zero gravity using handholds, so their hip, waist, and knee joints aren’t particularly flexible.
—Rachel Courtland, IEEE Spectrum, 30 Sep. 2015
See All Example Sentences for handhold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handhold
Noun
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Interestingly, the wristband could accurately predict a wide array of hand positions, from 26 letters of complex American Sign Language signs to the subtle grips required for holding scissors, a tennis ball, or a pencil.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
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Yet the air campaign, costing billions of dollars, has not forced Iran to capitulate and loosen its grip on the strait.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Basic actions like grasp, place, open, and close are linked to objects or positions, forcing the system to connect decisions with the physical world.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Mar. 2026
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Even if Ohtani doesn’t quite reach Cy Young heights, a fourth straight MVP is well within his grasp.—
D.J. Short,
NBC news,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handhold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handhold. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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