HOLE UP Synonyms: 17 Similar and Opposite Words

hole up

verb

Definition of hole up

as in to hide

to remain out of sight we'll hole up in the cellar and wait out the hurricane

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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 hole up Among the rewards was that 22-yard touchdown run, on which Williams shot through a huge hole up the middle and charged into the end zone untouched. — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026 Authorities determined that the man, his wife and daughter were holed up in a bedroom. — Sacbee.com, 28 Sep. 2026 Three years later, Kao holed up in a conference room to recount the Corner Bakery meeting to a group of four FBI agents and federal prosecutors. — William Turton, ProPublica, 22 Sep. 2026 To me, the most interesting part was when they’re holed up in the mall watching the news. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hole up

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hole up

Verb

Russian tech companies are scrambling to harden and hide their data centers underground after Ukrainian drone strikes damaged facilities housing AI supercomputers and disrupted cloud services for millions of Russian users.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 3 Nov. 2026
Check the plant’s foliage for pests occasionally, paying particular attention to the undersides of leaves, where spider mites, scale and aphids like to hide.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of hide

Verb

Every facet of India’s topography, from lush grasslands filled with antelopes to gnarled forests with tigers and evil spirits lurking around every corner, is on full display.

— Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2026
The Beast, or some Beast-like relative, also has been seen in Milwaukee, outside a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Lake Geneva and, across the state line, in Antioch, Galena and lurking near the Great Lakes Naval Station in Lake County.

— Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of lurk

Verb

But between these aggressive moves lies a delicate sensibility reflective of Duke Ellington’s early influence on his work.

— Levi Dayan, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2026
Officials have built a cordon around the clutch of eggs, which lie between the shoreline and the boardwalk.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of lie

Browse Nearby Words

holes up

hole up

holey

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“Hole up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hole%20up. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of hole up

verb

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