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
Still, these riders hold out hope for a revival of their champion team.
—
Ashley Sharp, CBS News, 6 May 2026
After returning to play in three games in early January, Braun was held out of games for three weeks.
—Gary Bedore
may 6, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026
Another found a pilot holding out an iPad as passengers deplaned trying to squeeze out a few last pennies by asking for tips.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 4 May 2026
But some experts think Iran has enough income and can store enough oil to hold out for at least several months.
—Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold out
Ashley Sharp, CBS News, 6 May 2026
After returning to play in three games in early January, Braun was held out of games for three weeks.
—Gary Bedore
may 6, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026
Another found a pilot holding out an iPad as passengers deplaned trying to squeeze out a few last pennies by asking for tips.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 4 May 2026
But some experts think Iran has enough income and can store enough oil to hold out for at least several months.
—Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold out
Verb
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If jet-fuel prices don’t come down soon, other ultra-discount carriers may also be struggling to survive.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
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Most banana plants survive even severe freezes and can make new grow from shoots at or below the ground line.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
Verb
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The attack began in midmorning and lasted for hours in the capital of Kyiv, the western city of Lviv near Poland, and the port of Odesa on the Black Sea, among other population centers, Zelenskyy said on the Telegram messaging app.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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In a segment expected to last a few minutes, ABC News reporter Will Ganss will preview this weekend’s YMCA Famous Idaho Potato Marathon & Fun Runs.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
13 May 2026
Verb
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If it can be said that a honeymoon period prevailed following the 2021 agreements, that sense of fellow feeling has long since dissipated.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
11 May 2026
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New York has prevailed in the first three games of the series against the 76ers by margins of 39, six and 14 points, underscoring their ability to come out on top in a variety of different game scenarios.—
Juan Carlos Blanco,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hold out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20out. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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