Synonyms of hold
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as in to grip
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as in to keep
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as in to think
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as in to contain
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as in to have
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as in to retain
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as in to accommodate
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as in to grasp
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as in to consider
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as in to regulate
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as in to aim
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as in grip
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as in stronghold
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as in sway
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as in contact
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as in jail
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as in understanding
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as in imprisonment
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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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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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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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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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold
Jose De Jesus Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2026
But the governor, a fiscal moderate who’s been wary about using state dollars to bolster shrinking federal human service programs, maintained a noncommittal stance he’s held since February.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2026
Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 1 June 2026
For now, the government’s subpoena for additional records related to election officials remains on hold while the court considers Fulton County’s request to block enforcement.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold
Verb
Govel held the Aggies to three hits and one run over four innings with four strikeouts.
—Jose De Jesus Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2026
But the governor, a fiscal moderate who’s been wary about using state dollars to bolster shrinking federal human service programs, maintained a noncommittal stance he’s held since February.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2026
Noun
The railroad industry’s chief regulatory body is putting its review of the Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern proposed $85 billion merger on hold, requiring the railroads to provide additional information before the deal can be further evaluated.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 1 June 2026
For now, the government’s subpoena for additional records related to election officials remains on hold while the court considers Fulton County’s request to block enforcement.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold
Verb
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When the off-duty flight attendant reached over to grip the bag, Reyes grabbed his head and began choking him, the affidavit states.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
3 June 2026
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The strapless neckline stays in place thanks to the elastic gripping tape along the bust.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) separately reported that Naqvi carried a letter from Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has continued to keep a low public profile since assuming his post in March.—
Dalia Abdelwahab,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
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Spence’s job goes beyond keeping skiers safe.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Verb
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The chances of 3-star Mississippi tackle DJ Dotson choosing UGA are higher than most think.—
Jeff Sentell,
AJC.com,
29 May 2026
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My daughter calls me a creative engineer, someone who spends her life creatively thinking about ways to provide live experiences that offer joy and beauty, or maybe more importantly, that challenge us to see things differently.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Verb
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The wall drawings also contain erasure marks, vestiges of the artist’s false starts and corrections.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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Substituting regular flour for options that contain more protein when baking, such as oat, almond, chickpea, or whole wheat flour.—
Cristina Mutchler,
Verywell Health,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Each puzzle has exactly one solution, so watch out for words or items that seem to belong to multiple categories!—
Mark Cooper,
New York Times,
8 June 2026
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The designer, who graduated from Polimoda in Florence in 2015, also had a stint at Chanel.—
Laure Guilbault,
Vogue,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Many analysts favor Pashinyan's Civil Contract party to retain control of the parliament, but with many opposition parties running on pro-Russia platforms, the Caucasus nation's place on the international stage has been thrown into the spotlight.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
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Planting a cover crop around the tree will help the soil retain moisture.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Elang Private Residence can accommodate multi-generational families or groups of friends with kids.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
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However, Threewitt said access to electricity has emerged as one of the biggest obstacles to accommodating more growth.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
2 June 2026
Verb
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In these spaces, ticks often wait on the tips of grass blades, plant stems, and tree branches with their front legs ready to grasp onto any host that happens to brush by or walk under overhanging foliage.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 June 2026
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It is built with tools for mapping, navigation, self-charging and VLM grasping demos.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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