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
Some of these movies manage to hold viewers’ attention with bombastic action scenes that command focus on a big screen. — Isabel Fattal, The Atlantic, 18 July 2026 The Fenway faithful don’t like sell-offs and the guessing now is the Sawx hold onto Gray and Chapman and hope to get Crochet and Anthony back by mid-August to make a run at the Yankees. — Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 18 July 2026
Noun
Spencer, 56, plays Debbie Claybourne, a lawyer whose career has been put on hold due to her British husband David’s political aspirations. — Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026 There had been some initial talks between opposition leaders and Rodríguez envoys about a democratic transition, but they were put on hold following the earthquake. — John Otis, NPR, 16 July 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
  • Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei blamed Washington for the chaos gripping the region.
    — Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 13 July 2026
  • Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei blamed Washington for the chaos gripping the Middle East.
    — Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of grip
Verb
  • Tyler Glasnow is even further away from pitching in big-league games as his back spasms have kept him out for months.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • Oil traffic through the strait has fallen dramatically again, and as oil prices keep moving higher while the situation in the Middle East intensifies every day.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Definition of keep
Verb
  • The Dodgers initially thought Ohtani would drain the knee on Sunday.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • In their report, the authors posit that the image, which until now had been thought to represent a warrior with a spear, is in fact a painting of Juun Ajaw, a central figure in Maya mythology best known from the Mayan sacred text the Popol Voh.
    — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of think
Verb
  • During Arriaga’s autopsy, medical examiners found her blood to contain the opiate Demerol at 793 nanograms per milliliter, according to the warrant.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
  • Each cluster contained a simple RLC resonator — a resistor, capacitor, and inductor, a combination that creates an oscillating electrical signal at a particular frequency.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 15 July 2026
Definition of contain
Verb
  • Critically, these sporting sanctions do not apply to 2027-28 if Newcastle are profitable on football earnings in 2026-27 and have an SCR ratio below 70 per cent throughout 2026.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • Griffin Conine homered and Otto Lopez had two hits for the Marlins, who also lost their last three games before the break.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
Definition of have
Verb
  • The Lionesses retained their title, beating the world champions on penalties in the final in Switzerland.
    — Michael Cox, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • Sites that fail to comply could face civil action from the parents of kids who viewed pornography or anyone whose data is unlawfully retained.
    — Chloe Albanesius, PC Magazine, 14 July 2026
Definition of retain
Verb
  • What’s standing between the Trail Blazers and a bunch of public money for a stadium deal is their willingness to accommodate this council.
    — Jason Quick, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • Curtis said the chain is testing menu items like Whopper Bites and protein-forward bowls, partly to accommodate the shifting tastes of GLP-1 users.
    — Hallie Jackson, NBC news, 19 July 2026
Definition of accommodate
Verb
  • In one example, a robotic arm was able to grasp objects such as a cup or an apple based solely on the user’s brain signals.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 19 July 2026
  • Paavola couldn’t fully grasp the scope of the danger until her boat pulled away.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 18 July 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 21 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hold

Nglish: Translation of hold for Spanish Speakers

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