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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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of hold
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
The council is currently evaluating candidates for the School Board seat held by Kaye Frataccia-Seibert, whose term ends June 30.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Albini phoned the Lemonheads’ Evan Dando and pretended to be Madonna’s assistant, and placed him on hold for 45 minutes.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold
Verb
Prior to that, Spring held roles at Picture Shop, UBC, AVerMediam and Anagram Pictures.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
The council is currently evaluating candidates for the School Board seat held by Kaye Frataccia-Seibert, whose term ends June 30.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
Reigns punched his way out of the submission hold and put Punk back in the guillotine.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Albini phoned the Lemonheads’ Evan Dando and pretended to be Madonna’s assistant, and placed him on hold for 45 minutes.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold
Verb
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While Tina Brown ultimately rejected Lemann’s copy—for its lack of pertinent details about the case, which didn’t grip her—the author’s account of the trial was published as a standalone book 40 years ago before falling out of print.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
23 Apr. 2026
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Why book For that golden intersection of gripping design and home-grown, regenerative ideology, Fowlescombe Farm is remarkably quick to reach by train, despite its bona fide rural location on the fringes of Dartmoor.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The breaks kept coming for Orlando.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2026
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His office was spare and no nonsense, with a poster from OSHA about the importance of keeping farmworkers hydrated.—
Saïd Sayrafiezadeh,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And clearly, the Broncos did not think enough of the tight ends to be aggressive.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
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Those three weeks were bliss — not thinking about Spurs, not thinking about football, just getting on with life.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Beautiful Ones contains the early pages of his writing as well as photos, scrapbooks and handwritten lyrics sheets.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
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While tariff pain was partially contained to specific categories of food, rising fuel and fertilizer prices promise across-the-board increases, Volpe said.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Earnings from India’s bellwether software services exporters have reinforced investor concerns about the sector’s growth prospects, signaling that the downturn in their stocks has further to run.—
Ashutosh Joshi,
Bloomberg,
27 Apr. 2026
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That outing followed a strong Game 3 showing, too, as Dosunmu had 25 points (10-for-15 shooting) and nine assists in that 113-96 win.—
Sam Amick,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Among them were several members of the Seidler family, most of whom are retaining at least a portion of their ownership stakes.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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Equally concerning is that requiring twice as many workers per case without a plan to recruit or retain them risks widespread gaps in care.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Independence eased rules to accommodate visitors.—
Taylor Haught,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2026
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Whispers in the hallway indicated no more seats would be added ahead of the meeting to accommodate those who stood outside.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Instead, use your thumb and forefinger to grasp the berry at the stem and give it a gentle tug.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2026
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The front pair of legs is raptorial, meaning they are used for catching and grasping prey.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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