Thesaurus

hold

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of hold

1 the act or manner of holding

make sure you have a firm hold on the chain saw before you turn it on

Synonyms of hold

clasp, clench, grapple, grasp, grip, handgrip, handhold

Words Related to hold

anchorage, leverage, purchase

foothold, footing, toehold

clinch, embrace, hug

Near Antonyms of hold

release, relinquishment

2 a structure or place from which one can resist attack

the ruins of an ancient Roman hold

Synonyms of hold

bastion, castle, citadel, fastness, fort, fortification, fortress, redoubt, stronghold

Words Related to hold

battlement, breastwork, bulwark, earthwork, embattlement, parapet, rampart

blockhouse, garrison house

alcazar, casbah (also kasbah)

3 the right or means to command or control others

the government has no hold over where we live and work

Synonyms of hold

arm, authority, clutch, command, control, death grip, dominion, grip, mastery, power, reign, rein(s), sway

Words Related to hold

clout, influence, leverage, pull, voice, weight

direction, management

dominance, imperium, predominance, sovereignty (also sovranty), supremacy

prerogative, privilege, right

eminence, importance, moment

Near Antonyms of hold

helplessness, weakness

Antonyms of hold

impotence, impotency, powerlessness

4 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 of hold

communication, contact, touch

Words Related to hold

commerce, communion, intercommunication, intercourse

5 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 of hold

bastille, big house [slang], bridewell, brig, calaboose, can, clink [slang], cooler, coop, guardroom, hock, hoosegow, jail, jailhouse, joint [slang], jug, lockup, nick [British slang], pen, penitentiary, pokey [slang], prison, quod [British slang], slam, slammer, stir [slang], stockade, tolbooth [Scottish]

Words Related to hold

bull pen, cage, cell, hole, tank

glasshouse [British], guardhouse, hulk(s)

concentration camp, gulag, labor camp, prison camp, stalag, work camp

dungeon, keep, oubliette

reformatory, reform school, training school

Near Antonyms of hold

6 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 of hold

appreciation, apprehension, comprehension, grasp, grip, perception, percipience, understanding

Words Related to hold

absorption, assimilation, digestion, uptake

conception, visualization

awareness, consciousness, enlightenment, realization

Near Antonyms of hold

misapprehension, miscomprehension, misinterpretation, misperception, misunderstanding

Antonyms of hold

incomprehension, noncomprehension

7 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 of hold

detainer, detainment, detention, immurement, imprisonment, incarceration

Words Related to hold

captivity, confinement, internment

apprehension, arrest, arrestment, bust [slang], collar, pinch

capture, entrapment, seizure

enchainment, restraint

Near Antonyms of hold

emancipation, freedom, liberation

Antonyms of hold

discharge, release

hold

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of hold

1 to have or keep in one's hands

this casserole dish is too hot to hold, so grab a potholder

Synonyms of hold

clench, cling (to), clutch, grip

Words Related to hold

bag, capture, catch, collar, corral, grab, grapple, hook, land, latch (on or onto), nab, nail, seize, snap (up), snare, snatch, take, trap

feel, finger, handle, paw

clasp, embrace, grasp, hug

Phrases Synonymous with hold

hang on to, hold on to

Near Antonyms of hold

drop, give, hand, unclasp, unhand

cede, deliver, give up, hand out, hand over, release, relinquish, render, turn over, yield

2 to continue to have in one's possession or power

she, and she alone, held the keys to the mysterious chest

Synonyms of hold

keep, reserve, retain, withhold

Words Related to hold

conserve, guard, preserve, protect, save

boast, enjoy, have, own, possess

command, control, detain, direct, manage, rule

cherish, cling (to), hug, treasure

Phrases Synonymous with hold

hang on to, hold on to

Near Antonyms of hold

abandon, cede, drop

contribute, donate, give, hand out

decline, reject, repudiate, spurn

Antonyms of hold

give up, hand over, release, relinquish, surrender, yield

3 to have as an opinion

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal"

Synonyms of hold

allow [chiefly Southern & Midland], believe, conceive, consider, deem, esteem, feel, figure, guess, imagine, judge, reckon [chiefly dialect], suppose, think

Words Related to hold

accept, perceive

depend, rely, trust

assume, presume, presuppose, surmise

conclude, deduce, infer

Near Antonyms of hold

distrust, doubt, mistrust, question, suspect

disbelieve, discredit, reject

4 to have within

the mysterious chest held an ancient book on magic spells and potions

Synonyms of hold

bear, boast, contain

Words Related to hold

accommodate, fit, take

case, encase, enclose (also inclose), encompass

harbor, house, lodge, shelter

5 to keep in one's mind or heart

still held her close to his heart, though they had long parted

Synonyms of hold

bear, cherish, entertain, harbor, have, nurse

Words Related to hold

cultivate, foster, nurture, support, sustain

carry, keep, maintain, preserve, remember, retain, treasure

cleave (to), cling (to), hug, stick (to)

brood (about or over), fixate (on or upon), obsess (about or over)

Phrases Synonymous with hold

hang on to, hold on to

Near Antonyms of hold

disregard, drop, forget, ignore, neglect, overlook

abjure, decline, deny, disdain, refuse, reject, repudiate, scorn

abandon, desert, discard, forsake, give up, part (with), quit, renounce, throw out

6 to keep, control, or experience as one's own

the same family has held this piece of land for over 100 years

Synonyms of hold

command, enjoy, have, own, possess, retain

Words Related to hold

keep, reserve, withhold

boast, show off, sport

Phrases Synonymous with hold

Near Antonyms of hold

abandon, cede, disclaim, disown, hand over, relinquish, renounce, surrender, yield

decline, reject, repudiate, spurn

Antonyms of hold

7 to make or have room for

the couple needed to rent a hall that would hold 300 people

Synonyms of hold

accommodate, fit, take

Words Related to hold

carry, contain, seat

enclose (also inclose), encompass, enfold

8 to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms

please hold my arm on these slippery stairs

Synonyms of hold

clasp, grasp, grip, take

Words Related to hold

clench, cling (to), clutch, hold on (to)

catch, nab, seize, snatch

Phrases Synonymous with hold

hang on to, lay hold of

Near Antonyms of hold

discharge, drop, free, liberate, release

deliver, entrust (also intrust), give, hand, hand over, pass, relinquish, transfer, transmit, turn over, unhand

9 to think of in a particular way

held to be the best blueberry pies in the state

Synonyms of hold

account, call, consider, count, esteem, look (on or upon), rate, reckon, regard, set down, view

Words Related to hold

believe, deem, feel, sense, think

conceive, fancy, imagine

Phrases Synonymous with hold

10 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 of hold

bridle, check, constrain, contain, control, curb, govern, inhibit, keep, measure, pull in, regulate, rein (in), restrain, rule, tame

Words Related to hold

bottle (up), choke (back), hold back, mince, muffle, pocket, repress, sink, smother, squelch, stifle, strangle, suppress, swallow

arrest, interrupt, stop

block, hamper, handcuff, hinder, impede, obstruct

gag, muzzle, silence

Near Antonyms of hold

liberate, loose, loosen, unleash

air, express, take out, vent

Antonyms of hold

11 to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal

held the camera on the actor throughout the scene

Synonyms of hold

aim, bend, cast, direct, head, level, pinpoint, set, train

Words Related to hold

concentrate, focus

incline, orient, steer

Near Antonyms of hold

avert, curve, deflect, detour, divert, rechannel, shunt, sidetrack

Synonym Discussion of hold

contain, hold, accommodate mean to have or be capable of having within. contain implies the actual presence of a specified substance or quantity within something.

- the can contains a quart of oil

hold implies the capacity of containing or the usual or permanent function of containing or keeping.

- the bookcase will hold all my textbooks

accommodate stresses holding without crowding or inconvenience.

- the hall can accommodate 500 people

Learn More about hold

Dictionary: Definition of hold Spanish Central: Translation of hold Nglish: Translation of hold for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of hold for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up hold? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments

WORD OF THE DAY

intoxicate

to affect and impair by alcohol or a drug