holes up

present tense third-person singular of hole up
as in hides
to remain out of sight we'll hole up in the cellar and wait out the hurricane

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 holes up The floor-length dress featured a cross-stitched halterneck, a netted bodice and a floor-length lace skirt with holes up and down her legs. Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 22 May 2026 Vancouver has literally no defensive structure, little offensive pressure and obvious holes up and down the lineup. Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026 Drilling into your home’s exterior is rarely a good idea, and patching any holes up is an absolute must. Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 26 Feb. 2026 Adelaida holes up in her mother’s apartment, unable to bring herself to pack up or even sort through her things, ignoring the banging and shouting from the street below. Jessica Kiang, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025 In this Canadian oddity, the fictional band Triton holes up in a farmhouse to record their new album. Keith Phipps, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025 Now on the run after escaping from prison, Manchester holes up in a local Toys R’ Us for several months. Katherine Singh, Refinery29, 9 Sep. 2025 Canes defenders gave Notre Dame receivers too much cushion in coverage, the interior of the defense allowed too many holes up the middle and linebacker Mohamed Toure busted coverage on Eli Raridon’s 65-yard catch and run, setting up Carr’s 7-yard run for the tying touchdown. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 1 Sep. 2025 Quick and decisive in the middle of the Pondo defense, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound senior has the power to shed blockers and plug holes up front, and the speed to track down ball-carriers on the edge. Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holes up
Verb
  • The aggregate hides what exactly is falling and what might still be holding up.
    Victor Karpenko, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Freeland resembles Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, drawing back the curtain that hides the smoke machine when the Wizard of Oz is not a wizard at all, but a carnival illusionist distracting the population.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 22 July 2026
Verb
  • Those combinations are concentrated through the middle, where Messi generally lurks, with Argentina directing a smaller share of their passing towards the flanks than any other team.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • In Elliott’s Connecticut, the governor would send a busload of stern but compassionate counselors to protect workers hiding in their office where a gunman lurks.
    Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026
Verb
  • Yet behind the festive atmosphere lies a tradition rooted in the worship of deities and rituals of protection.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • Just beyond the park’s boundary, however, lies a quieter alternative.
    Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 19 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Holes up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holes%20up. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster