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

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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
  • Walruses were once hunted in vast numbers, for their blubber, hides and ivory, driving them close to extinction in Svalbard’s waters, before hunting was banned in 1952.
    Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • There clearly continues to be something very evocative about the idea that all the mundane pop-culture ephemera from one’s youth hides something darker.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Enjoy this underappreciated gem—just beware the Frogman, who lurks in Stephen’s mind and on every page.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026
  • But a bigger story lurks deeper in Tuesday’s numbers that could spell trouble for Republicans in November.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • This is changing with the increasing importance of space from a military standpoint, but for most presidents civil space lies fairly low on the priority list.
    Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Yet perhaps Gothenburg’s biggest advantage as a destination lies just beyond the center.
    David Nikel, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Holes up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holes%20up. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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