TOOK HOLD Synonyms: 18 Similar and Opposite Words

took hold

phrase

past tense of take hold

as in worked

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 took hold As QAnon conspiracy theories took hold with people from around the world and tensions around policies to prevent the spread of Covid reached a boiling point, this previously unknown woman became the unlikely answer some in Canada were searching for. — Zander Sherman, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026 Dubbed the White Wings, the sanitation workers sported white pith helmets and uniforms not unlike the lab coats that doctors began to don in the 1880s as germ theory took hold and antiseptics became associated with health. — Rana Mitter, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 The real questions are why the ideology took hold after 1970 and whether current conditions will foster it--or exterminate it. — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026 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 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 The fund grew to as big as $45 billion at the start of July before big losses took hold, according to a person familiar. — David Faber, CNBC, 30 July 2026 The same feeling took hold in the build-up to the 2022 World Cup final. — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 19 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for took hold

took effect

Phrase

Several new California laws took effect ahead of the 2026-27 school year, bringing changes that could affect students, parents, teachers — and drivers — across the state.

— Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Evidence that employers try to maximize the number of people working for them part time instead of full time and with benefits arose after the Affordable Care Act fully took effect in 2014.

— Paul Osterman, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026