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
Wilson holds out hope that federal lawmakers will amend their law to allow hemp sales to continue, though any such change faces an uphill battle.
—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
Upon arrival, a staffer holds out a tray of tropical popsicles as a first touch of hospitality.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Or Gonzalez fully holds out and risks fines.
—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
No matter how many shows you guys do, his voice just holds out.
—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
24 May 2026
The owner who holds out for yesterday’s pricing can discover that extended vacancy carries a cost that is far greater than a small concession would have been.
—
Allen Buchanan,
Oc Register,
2 May 2026
The gamble that Dallas plays in this instance is if Pickens holds out from voluntary and mandatory offseason activities until a long-term deal is worked out.
—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
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
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
Upon arrival, a staffer holds out a tray of tropical popsicles as a first touch of hospitality.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Or Gonzalez fully holds out and risks fines.
—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
No matter how many shows you guys do, his voice just holds out.
—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
24 May 2026
The owner who holds out for yesterday’s pricing can discover that extended vacancy carries a cost that is far greater than a small concession would have been.
—
Allen Buchanan,
Oc Register,
2 May 2026
The gamble that Dallas plays in this instance is if Pickens holds out from voluntary and mandatory offseason activities until a long-term deal is worked out.
—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holds out
Verb
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Fans recommend the film to one another when hope feels scarce, passing along its core conviction that society survives through connection rather than conquest.
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My parents’ rescue at Entebbe taught me that freedom survives only because people choose to defend it.
Verb
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The reduced rate, which serves as an incentive to get more borrowers to enroll in auto pay, lasts through June 30, 2028.
-
For one thing, beetle colonies span all life stages and hence require complex containment; superworm cleaning only requires the larval stage, which lasts 10–12 weeks compared to just five to seven weeks for the beetles.
Verb
-
Boston prevails, 1-0, with Mark Kotsay driving in the game’s only run.
-
The uncomfortable truth here is that whether anyone is keeping that eye depends on which level of government prevails, and the contest has barely begun.
Verb
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Its dual anti-tangle brush assembly prevents hair clogs, while a self-emptying base holds up to seven weeks of debris.
-
If the North American forecast holds up, Minions & Monsters is looking at a $170M global weekend.
Cite this Entry
“Holds out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holds%20out. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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