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
That’s when a park employee confronted the wayward sphere, holding out his forearms and bracing for impact.
—
Cristian Santana, NBC news, 31 Dec. 2025
Most did, but Franco and nearly 200 others held out through the summer and into mid-fall.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
For two days, his unit and his family held out hope that Quentin was alive.
—Fiona Donovan, Vanity Fair, 30 Dec. 2025
But a series of scientific breakthroughs in 2025 holds out some hope for a greener future.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold out
Cristian Santana, NBC news, 31 Dec. 2025
Most did, but Franco and nearly 200 others held out through the summer and into mid-fall.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
For two days, his unit and his family held out hope that Quentin was alive.
—Fiona Donovan, Vanity Fair, 30 Dec. 2025
But a series of scientific breakthroughs in 2025 holds out some hope for a greener future.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold out
Verb
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Both pilots survived the crash.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
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To become Florida law, bills need to survive committee hearings, pass votes in the House and Senate and avoid the governor’s veto pen.—
Ryan Ballogg,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The extreme cold is expected to last into Saturday.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
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The couple left a lasting legacy on those who knew them.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Without this revolutionary position, fascism prevails.—
Gaby Iori
January 27,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
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Mahan, Vice Mayor Pam Foley and District 3 Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who represents downtown, have also asked the city to create a higher incentive tier for projects that pay prevailing wages and support apprenticeship programs.—
Devan Patel,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hold out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20out. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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