as in survives
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 holds out
But seemingly by sheer willpower, Meredith holds out her hand, which sends the liquid back in the opposite direction toward Britani.
—
Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
Here’s hoping the good weather holds out for at least a few more weeks.
—Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
Here’s hoping the good weather holds out for at least a few more weeks.
—Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holds out
Verb
-
In a world gone terribly wrong and sideways, humanity survives.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Mar. 2026
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If the Iranian regime survives in weakened form, Beijing will likely calibrate limited, deniable support while avoiding overcommitment.—
John Calabrese,
The Conversation,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Landing a job that lasts over a decade is a blessing for any working actor.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The gathering usually lasts around a week and is expected to conclude on March 11 this year.—
Evelyn Cheng,Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
There is no room for error, so in Team Radio, the human touch prevails.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2026
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David Madden and Jason Goldberg from the production arm of the online publishing platform joined Deadline for a romantic chat – or, rather, a chat about romance – and broke down why love always prevails.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The pieces knit together to form a cast iron surface that sheds water, smothers weeds and holds up for a long time.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
6 Mar. 2026
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Chet Holmgren misses a minute, and Isaiah Hartenstein holds up the rim protection.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holds out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holds%20out. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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