Synonyms of upheld

upheld 1 of 2

adjective

as in uplifted

Related Words

• uplifted
• raised
• upraised
• overhead
• ascendant
• soaring
• overlooking
• ascending
• upper
• uppermost
• upward
• topmost
• elevated
• upmost
• high
• airy
• nosebleed

Dissimilar Words

• dropped
• low
• lowered
• grounded
• fallen
• descending
• down
• depressed
• sunken
• low-lying
• lowermost
• level
• even
• descendant
• undermost
• nethermost
• abreast

upheld

2 of 2

verb

past tense of uphold

1

as in defended

to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections

determined to uphold her views in the face of all challenges

Synonyms & Similar Words

• defended
• justified
• maintained
• supported
• affirmed
• advocated
• asserted
• proclaimed
• confirmed
• stuck up for
• discussed
• championed
• stood up for
• stated
• vindicated
• insisted
• argued
• pleaded
• contended
• espoused
• emphasized
• protested
• claimed
• averred
• professed
• debated
• warranted
• underscored
• underlined
• avowed
• stressed
• avouched

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• abandoned
• withdrew
• reversed
• retracted
• forsook
• switched
• recanted
• took back
• refuted
• abjured
• rebutted
• disproved
• controverted

2

as in sustained

to hold up or serve as a foundation for

an entablature upheld by a series of gracefully slender columns

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sustained
• carried
• bolstered
• supported
• stayed
• buttressed
• braced
• underpinned
• propped (up)
• bore
• undergirded
• steadied
• trussed
• shored (up)
• underlay

3

as in lifted

to move from a lower to a higher place or position

worshippers upheld their joined hands and sang the praises of the Lord

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lifted
• raised
• elevated
• hoisted
• uplifted
• heightened
• boosted
• heaved
• hiked
• took up
• upped
• picked up
• mounted
• upraised
• ascended
• rose
• hefted
• perked (up)
• craned
• jacked (up)
• reared
• upended

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dropped
• lowered
• fell
• slipped
• pushed
• descended
• pressed
• bore
• plunged
• dipped
• pitched
• depressed
• sank
• submerged

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of upheld

Adjective

In the accompanying photo, Fleetwood and his new bride, Elizabeth Jordan lean into one another, cheekily posing behind Fleetwood's upheld fedora. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026

Guest conductor Edward Gardner, principal conductor of the London Philharmonic, was obviously frustrated when even his upheld hands couldn’t stop the applause. — Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 23 Jan. 2026

Verb

An appeals court upheld part of her order earlier this year, though the protections only applied to the plaintiffs in the case. — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 23 July 2026

The court upheld the dismissal and awarded attorney fees to the Hus, highlighting the importance of public participation in development issues. — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

In 2021, France’s highest court upheld a ruling that Koons’s 1988 sculpture Fait d’hiver, based on a 1985 advertisement by photographer Franck Davidovici, infringed the photographer’s copyright. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 22 July 2026

The president scored two wins on his immigration policies, as well as a decision that expanded presidential power over some executive branch officials and upheld restrictions on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 21 July 2026

In Homer’s Odyssey, xenia was upheld by the king of the Phaeacians, Alcinous, who entertained the shipwrecked Odysseus and provided him with comforts as well as a ship in which to sail home to Ithaca. — Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 July 2026

Representatives from each member state are expected to decide on July 24 if his suspension will be upheld and what, if any, disciplinary actions will be taken. — Christiane Amanpour, CNN Money, 16 July 2026

The president has appealed that outcome; so far, federal courts have upheld the award. — Bill Chappell, NPR, 14 July 2026

And when those providers challenged the suspensions, investigations upheld 80% of decisions — because the enforcement was built on data, not guesswork. — Mehmet Oz, Boston Herald, 13 July 2026