hold 1 of 2

verb

ˈhōld How to pronounce hold (audio)
Definition of holdnext
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

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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

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3
as in to think
to have as an opinion "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal"

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4
as in to contain
to have within the mysterious chest held an ancient book on magic spells and potions

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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

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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

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7
as in to accommodate
to make or have room for the couple needed to rent a hall that would hold 300 people

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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

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9
as in to consider
to think of in a particular way held to be the best blueberry pies in the state

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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

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11
as in to aim
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal held the camera on the actor throughout the scene

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hold

2 of 2

noun

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

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2
as in stronghold
a structure or place from which one can resist attack the ruins of an ancient Roman hold

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3
as in sway
the right or means to command or control others the government has no hold over where we live and work

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word hold different from other verbs like it?

The words accommodate and contain are common synonyms of hold. While all three words mean "to have or be capable of having within," hold implies the capacity of containing or the usual or permanent function of containing or keeping.

the bookcase will hold all my textbooks

When is it sensible to use accommodate instead of hold?

The words accommodate and hold are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, accommodate stresses holding without crowding or inconvenience.

the hall can accommodate 500 people

When would contain be a good substitute for hold?

While the synonyms contain and hold are close in meaning, contain implies the actual presence of a specified substance or quantity within something.

the can contains a quart of oil

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
Verb
Then, customers receive a $5 credit for each participating coffee shop while the event is being held. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026 Lower-ticket maintenance items have held steadier in sales, which can help to prop up the top line, but the per-store productivity weakened even where top-line sales looked flat, Graff said. — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026
Noun
DonnaJean Wilde made her potential record-breaking attempt at the Huntsman World Senior Games in Utah this week and completed a plank hold for five hours. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026 The Cleveland-area seat should be a relatively easy hold for Republican in the midterm elections, but Miller’s legal and personal issues have created a political headache for Republicans. — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold
  1. grip
  2. keep
  3. think
  4. contain
  5. have
  6. retain
  7. accommodate
  8. grasp
Verb
  • Paris — Students fought running battles with police and several schools were ablaze Friday as a new day of violence gripped France with no end in sight to protests that have rocked the country.
    — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Secondly, as markets remain gripped by concerns around long-term public debt and fiscal sustainability globally, Gower acknowledged that higher bond yields remain a challenge for non-yielding assets like gold.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of grip
Verb
  • Ellison has so far agreed to keep CBS and CNN separate and under different leadership.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Traders are now pricing in a 78% chance that the Fed will keep rates unchanged at its next meeting, according to the CME Group's FedWatch tool.
    — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of keep
Verb
  • Boosted by Heated Rivalry, Crave recorded just over 5 million subs in Bell’s most recent results, and is eyeing 6 million by end of 2028, but Cohan is thinking beyond that.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Even among Republicans, less than half (45%) think Trump will follow through.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of think
Verb
  • Another 19 shipments, containing about 119,000 gallons, were stopped at the Port of Houston.
    — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Sound tends to be hit or miss for outdoor shows as there’s nothing to contain the noise.
    — Rashad Alexander October 7, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of contain
Verb
  • The Israeli authorities have questions to answer, said The Jerusalem Post.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 10 Oct. 2026
  • New York City has policies that limit local law enforcement from sharing certain information with federal officers or honoring detainer requests unless immigrants have been convicted of violent crimes.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of have
Verb
  • In that world, humans might retain (for a while) a desire to acknowledge the role of AI in those discoveries, even bestowing previously human-only awards upon the responsible AI agents.
    — Jeffrey S. Flier, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Jamal, who co-founded the Somali Justice Advocacy Center, which helps immigrants find pro bono attorneys, also helped retain a lawyer for the Somali teenager charged with piracy in the infamous Captain Richard Phillips hostage-taking.
    — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of retain
Verb
  • According to the current assessment, Germany could potentially accommodate as many as 4,000 high-altitude turbines within existing wind farms.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
  • However, during the discussions, Coral Gables Finance Director Diana Gomez pinpointed some possible projects the city could decrease funding for in order to accommodate the Underline funding.
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of accommodate
Verb
  • Its combination of independent joint control, precise positioning, relatively low weight, and high grasping force is intended to help humanoid robots perform manipulation tasks that require greater dexterity and control.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
  • So all three of your adaptations have grasped quite the attention before even coming out.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of grasp

Phrases Containing hold

Browse Nearby Words

hokum
hold
hold a brief for
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Cite this Entry

“Hold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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