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
  • Gibbard hides from rain, opts for Irish goodbyes, and resorts to giving himself pep talks to drag himself out of bed.
    Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 6 June 2026
  • Even Adam’s irritable female boss, Suzie (Sasheer Zamata), hides under a people-pleasing mask.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • What starts as a mystery becomes an existential horror film, a harrowing journey into a landscape in which death lurks around every corner.
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 23 May 2026
  • But the most worrisome aspect of any collision between the Milky Way and Andromeda is the supermassive black hole that lurks at the center of each.
    Phil Plait, Scientific American, 22 May 2026
Verb
  • Rescuers described that location, which lies at an elevation of 17,999 feet, as a treacherous glacier known for its towering ice blocks and deep crevasses.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 4 June 2026
  • Wrangell Island lies at the mouth of the Stikine River, and the town is the point of departure for the river service to Telegraph Creek, 165 miles upstream.
    Anton Money, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Holes up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holes%20up. Accessed 10 Jun. 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