as in to survive
to continue to operate or to meet one's needs
we hoped our supply of firewood would hold out until power was restored luckily, the old outboard motor held out till we made it to shore
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Recent Examples of hold out
In this moment, when nearly every major musical artist has seen their life turned into a documentary, Eminem had held out, until recently.
—
Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
But Pollania is holding out for better times.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025
In 2023, Chris Jones held out from the Kansas City Chiefs, skipping training camp and missing the season opener — just like Isak.
—Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2025
Opponents of the mine have fought the land swap for years and continued to hold out hope that an appeals court would block the exchange.
—Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold out
Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
But Pollania is holding out for better times.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025
In 2023, Chris Jones held out from the Kansas City Chiefs, skipping training camp and missing the season opener — just like Isak.
—Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2025
Opponents of the mine have fought the land swap for years and continued to hold out hope that an appeals court would block the exchange.
—Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold out
Verb
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Despite staff layoffs affecting about 300 employees, industry analysts say Condé Nast still faces high pressure to continue restructuring and invest in digital innovation to survive long term headwinds.—
Gemma Allen,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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Leeds are tipped to survive the drop after adding Premier League experience and European talent to their ranks.—
Jack Bantock,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Kennedy’s hearing, which lasted nearly three hours, was often contentious as he was grilled on everything from vaccine availability to his staffing shakeups at the CDC.—
Jon Haworth,
ABC News,
5 Sep. 2025
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The relief group stepped up after José Berríos lasted just two innings Tuesday.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Kemp put seeds in the front yard to see whether grass or natives would prevail during last year's drought.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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If Upside Foods prevails in court, legal experts suggest the precedent could apply directly to Texas and other states.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20out. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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