HOLDS Synonyms: 412 Similar and Opposite Words

holds 1 of 2

verb

Definition of holds next

present tense third-person singular of hold

as in grips

to have or keep in one's hands this casserole dish is too hot to hold, so grab a potholder

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as in retains

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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as in thinks

to have as an opinion "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal"

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as in contains

to have within the mysterious chest held an ancient book on magic spells and potions

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as in has

to keep in one's mind or heart still held her close to his heart, though they had long parted

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as in owns

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 accommodates

to make or have room for the couple needed to rent a hall that would hold 300 people

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as in grasps

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 considers

to think of in a particular way held to be the best blueberry pies in the state

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as in regulates

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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as in aims

to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal held the camera on the actor throughout the scene

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holds

2 of 2

noun

plural of hold

as in clasps

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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as in strongholds

a structure or place from which one can resist attack the ruins of an ancient Roman hold

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as in controls

the right or means to command or control others the government has no hold over where we live and work

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as in jails

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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outsides

as in understandings

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 imprisonments

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 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 holds

Verb

Red Square is where Russia holds its traditional military parade to celebrate Victory Day, one of the biggest holidays of the year. —

Darlene Superville, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026 Continue reading … BALLOT TALK — Rubio's viral White House briefing clip fuels 2028 buzz as Vance holds frontrunner spot. —

FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026 Cohen holds a clear fundraising advantage based on campaign finance disclosures filed late last month. —

Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026 The league was founded in 1996 by the NBA, which still holds a minority stake of roughly 42%. —

Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 8 May 2026 Attenborough holds the longest career as a TV presenter, spanning more than seven decades, according to Guinness World Records. —

Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 8 May 2026 Starring Ice Cube, Eva Longoria and Clark Gregg, director Rich Lee’s movie was critically eviscerated and currently holds a meager 4 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. —

Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2026 Forecasters aren't sure what the future holds. —

Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 May 2026 Mexico holds the distinction of being the country with the most players to have participated in five editions of the World Cup. —

German Fernández-Moores, Houston Chronicle, 1 May 2026

Noun

Because of downsizing, wait times on the 1-800 number soared last year, with reports of hours-long holds. —

E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 7 May 2026 Where errors cascade across networks, the supply chain and logistics archetype holds. —

Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 2 May 2026 Businesses that cannot explain discrepancies could face product holds, license suspension, or criminal investigation. —

Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026 In that order, Judge Susan van Keulen said government lawyers confirmed the USCIS has a duty to issue a timely decision on an application — and also that the holds are indefinite, two contradictory arguments. —

Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026 He is currently being held without bond due to his status as an out-of-state fugitive, with legal holds stemming from Rockdale County, Georgia. —

Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026 The wide scale of destruction has Lebanese officials and residents increasingly worried that large numbers of people displaced by the latest war will have nowhere to return if the fragile truce holds. —

ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026 Regulations focus on risk management, as lithium battery incidents can escalate rapidly and are harder to control in cargo holds. —

Bailey Berg, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026 Zhang Wei, an associate professor at Shanghai Ocean University who led the research team, said the discovery underscores just how much biological richness the estuary holds. —

Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for holds

Verb

In one example, the robot grips a can sideways, a simple mistake that could lead to spills, showing that human-like understanding remains limited.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Apr. 2026
Fast forward to today and those fears have materialized with dizzying speed as a historic oil and gas crisis sparked by the US and Israel’s war with Iran grips the world.

— John Liu, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026