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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
In 2018, the two of them sold their booking agency part of their company to Paradigm Talent Agency (now The-Team), while continuing to hold onto the management division. — Chris Willman, Variety, 22 Aug. 2026 With an $18 million production budget, Out of the Further holds a 60 percent approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 70 percent audience score. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 22 Aug. 2026
Noun
Friends came to take her straight to the hospital, where she was placed on a psychiatric hold. — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026 If the direction of travel holds, the marginal buyer of gold for the next ten years is somebody who doesn't care about the price and isn't going to sell. — Jason Kirsch, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 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
  • It's got two arms with claws that can grip things and lift a couple of pounds each, and uses LiDAR and cameras to help get around your home.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The Mercyenforcer grips the handle of his light in his bare hand to look into my other eye.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of grip
Verb
  • The fewer than 200 attendees at last week’s semi-secret session in the museum’s intimate Clive Davis Theater had done a good job of helping keep the nature of the performance under wraps until now.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Because something unexpected could impact your money or your possession, keep your eyes open!
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of keep
Verb
  • Beyond the rooms, the hotel offers experiences that turn a stay into a real adventure; think horseback riding through Konavle, an ATV or buggy safari, sea kayaking around the Old Town walls, or even a private Game of Thrones tour through the city.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Westerns are often thought to glorify the violence and vigilantism of the 19th-century towns on the expanding American border.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of think
Verb
  • The Cohen Building originally housed the Social Security Administration, an important piece of the New Deal legacy, and contains frescoes painted in the 1940s by famed artist Seymour Fogel on the entrance lobby walls, Okin said.
    — Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Paul Robinson is accused of hiding a safe containing drugs and cash.
    — Jennifer Borrasso, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of contain
Verb
  • Mayer didn’t have that opportunity in the majors, spending chunks of time at second (53 games), third (39) and shortstop (26).
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The neighborhood The island of Sveti Klement has no roads or cars, just a couple of tractors and a golf buggy to add to the pleasant feeling of being in your hideaway.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of have
Verb
  • Conversely, someone with a BMI in the normal range could have lost considerable muscle while retaining excess body fat.
    — Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
  • These were followed by black- and silver-dial models retaining the dual-color bezel.
    — Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of retain
Verb
  • Intended to accommodate a predominantly residential urban coastal development pattern in areas that can support additional height and intensity while improving the provision of neighborhood commercial uses.
    — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026
  • In Ellington, there are some departments that still work five days, and some work a half day on Fridays to accommodate programs.
    — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of accommodate
Verb
  • Twain was inspired to publish the ambitious Library of American Literature with 1,700 selections by 500 authors in eleven volumes, but failed to grasp the perilous economics of selling such a gargantuan series by subscription.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Beyond the headlines lies a more basic confusion that even most researchers fail to grasp — clinical reasoning and model reasoning are not the same thing.
    — Arya Rao, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of grasp

Phrases Containing hold

Browse Nearby Words

hokum
hold
hold a brief for
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of devolve

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All