as in respect
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1
as in defending
to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections
determined to uphold her views in the face of all challenges
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2
as in sustaining
to hold up or serve as a foundation for
an entablature upheld by a series of gracefully slender columns
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3
as in lifting
to move from a lower to a higher place or position
worshippers upheld their joined hands and sang the praises of the Lord
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Recent Examples of upholding
Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
In addition, the NFL alleged that the report card surveys interfered with the union’s upholding of Article 39, Section 5, which mandates that the league and union jointly conduct an anonymous survey at least once every three years regarding players’ opinions on medical care and staff.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026
About 1 in 3 states didn’t even employ one staffer whose full-time job was to ensure that nonprofit funds were properly managed and that people in their states who ran nonprofits were upholding their financial and ethical duties, according to the survey.
—Sarah Webber, Fortune, 24 May 2026
Missouri election officials are scrambling to unravel which congressional map to use in light of Tuesday’s Supreme Court decision upholding the map for now, but leaving the possibility open that it could be reversed.
—Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 15 May 2026
Schmon praises Cannes for upholding artistic excellence and the gains made so far by the fest’s programmers, but would like to see the festival engage more with organizations like hers.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
Standing up to British tyranny was not breaking the law, but upholding it.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
The declaration itself says the Global Compact is a cooperative framework and acknowledges that no state can address migration alone, while also upholding the sovereignty of states.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 12 May 2026
Moreover, the Trident II is an essential component of the Navy’s role in upholding national security and global stability commitments.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 4 May 2026
For me, upholding the highest ethical standards is non-negotiable.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Noun
Protecting judges, prosecutors, public defenders, and court staff is fundamental to guaranteeing access to justice, judicial independence, and the upholding of the democratic order.
—Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
In addition, the NFL alleged that the report card surveys interfered with the union’s upholding of Article 39, Section 5, which mandates that the league and union jointly conduct an anonymous survey at least once every three years regarding players’ opinions on medical care and staff.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
There are few guidelines on how to deal with rumors while upholding conventional values of accuracy, verification, and transparency.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026
About 1 in 3 states didn’t even employ one staffer whose full-time job was to ensure that nonprofit funds were properly managed and that people in their states who ran nonprofits were upholding their financial and ethical duties, according to the survey.
—Sarah Webber, Fortune, 24 May 2026
Missouri election officials are scrambling to unravel which congressional map to use in light of Tuesday’s Supreme Court decision upholding the map for now, but leaving the possibility open that it could be reversed.
—Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 15 May 2026
Schmon praises Cannes for upholding artistic excellence and the gains made so far by the fest’s programmers, but would like to see the festival engage more with organizations like hers.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
Standing up to British tyranny was not breaking the law, but upholding it.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
The declaration itself says the Global Compact is a cooperative framework and acknowledges that no state can address migration alone, while also upholding the sovereignty of states.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 12 May 2026
Moreover, the Trident II is an essential component of the Navy’s role in upholding national security and global stability commitments.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 4 May 2026
For me, upholding the highest ethical standards is non-negotiable.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upholding
Noun
-
Empathy, care, respect, and inclusion have to become part of leadership evaluation and everyday expectations.—
Teresa Hopke,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
The Oak Cliff community is continuing to pay respects to the victims who died in an apartment explosion last week.—
Briseida Holguin,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
The Spurs knocked off the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the 2026 Western Conference Finals en route to their first finals appearance since winning the title in 2014.—
Geoff Clark OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
-
In the first trailer for Adam Wingard’s Onslaught, Adria Arjona plays a young mother and veteran defending her adorable child and trailer park community from an army of what appear to be glowing-eyed super-soldiers built like pro wrestlers.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Her hyperfocus on the leaf raises questions that extend far beyond the kitchen, inviting an inquiry into the banana plant’s movement across geographies and its role in sustaining cultural traditions.—
Sophia Rey,
JSTOR Daily,
28 May 2026
-
Emotionally cornered and spiritually exhausted, Anatoly at last lets everything rupture to the surface, sustaining the anthem's climactic note for over 20 seconds.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Defending champion Argentina’s quality is stronger since lifting the trophy in Qatar.—
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
-
While the Blues entered the 2025/26 campaign with high hopes after lifting the Club World Cup, the team failed to live up to expectations, floundering in the Premier League and going through three different managers in the space of only a few months.—
Graham Ruthven,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
The service ethos is more discreet deference than chatty confidence.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Your culture of urgency and deference is not a weakness in your people.—
Jason Walker PsyD,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
The price tag comes from the California State Auditor’s report that was issued last fall, which found that maintaining similar telework policies could potentially save $225 million annually by reducing the government’s office space footprint.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
6 June 2026
-
As military missions become increasingly data-driven and geographically dispersed, platforms that provide resilient, secure, and efficient communications will play a vital role in maintaining operational readiness.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Let’s remember the wisdom of our leaders in supporting the humanitarian aid that gave people a chance to rebuild from the war.—
William Lambers,
Hartford Courant,
6 June 2026
-
Others are hemorrhaging money from divorce, supporting adult children or overextended on mortgage debt.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
With the rebuilding ongoing Hart said Saturday’s gala is not just about raising funds, but also awareness.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
-
Walking is exercise proven to help ward off anxiety, depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s, while improving self-esteem and raising dopamine levels.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upholding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upholding. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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