TAKE HOLD Synonyms: 17 Similar and Opposite Words

take hold

phrase

Definition of take hold

as in work

to produce a desired effect It was clear in the students' essays that her lessons had taken hold.

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 take hold An undercurrent took hold of the children, and only the 11-year-old girl was able to escape the water, The New York Times reported. — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026 Beyond remediation at individual factories, broader changes are taking hold across Taiwan. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 31 July 2026 The United States and Iran each fired barrages of missiles Thursday, as the pattern of back-and-forth strikes took hold again and hope dimmed for any quick resolution. — Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026 The United States economy slowed more than expected as an inflation surge took hold over the early months of the Iran war, a government report on Thursday showed. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for take hold

Recent Examples of Synonyms for take hold

take effect

Phrase

The latest deaths add to a toll of more than 1,200 Palestinians, mostly civilians, killed by Israeli attacks since the ceasefire took effect, according to Gaza health officials.

— Reuters, NBC news, 31 July 2026
But concerns raised by groups representing school districts and administrators before the law took effect have intensified in recent years.

— Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026