UPHOLDS Synonyms: 94 Similar and Opposite Words

upholds

verb

present tense third-person singular of uphold

as in defends

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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as in sustains

to hold up or serve as a foundation for an entablature upheld by a series of gracefully slender columns

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as in lifts

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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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 upholds The ruling Wednesday by a Cole County judge upholds a decision by Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who had blocked the amendment from the November ballot despite thousands of petition signatures for it. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026 If the District Court upholds the denial, your application is considered exhausted. — Brian Sloan, CNBC, 21 July 2026 For many, this new-build option upholds preferential aesthetics while satisfying practical needs and eliminating restoration headaches. — Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 20 July 2026 The ruling essentially upholds similar bans enacted in 25 other states. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 The ruling upholds laws in 30 states that allow at least some ballots to arrive after Election Day, including ballots from military voters and Americans who live overseas. — Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 The ruling upholds Illinois law, which allows mail-in ballots postmarked — or personally attested to — by Election Day to be counted up to two weeks afterward. — Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 One ruling upholds a landmark case dealing with press freedom. — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 29 June 2026 God, divine Love, upholds what is just, right, and spiritually true for all. — Liesl Ehmke, Christian Science Monitor, 29 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for upholds

Verb

The 16-year-old New Zealand amateur successfully defends her title, closing with a 6-under 64 for her fourth win in 14 professional events.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Romero defends his belt for the first time, while Lopez makes his 147-pound debut, eyeing future undisputed glory.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of defends

Verb

All of the new rules pose a risk to the industry that sprang up in the wake of the 2019 law, which Sergi says generates over $5 billion in revenue, sustains nearly 49,000 jobs and contributes over $250 million in tax money.

— Steven Rosenbaum, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Ford is among the few filmmakers who succeeds in filming a stage performance with visual attention (a combination of duration and framing) that sustains literary continuity yet never recedes to mere home-video-like recording.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of sustains

Verb

SpaceX's Starship rocket lifts off from Starbase, Texas, as seen from South Padre Island on August 26, 2025, for its tenth test flight.

— Reuters, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2026
In one of the most memorable panels in superherocomic history, Bane, having beaten Batman down in his own Batcave, lifts the hero over his head and slams him down over his knee, breaking his back.

— Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of lifts

Verb

Sleep is when the brain consolidates memory, recalibrates stress and immune signaling and supports other restorative processes.

— Renée Onque, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2026
Our Kids’ Climate (OKC) supports parents, grandparents and caregivers in over 50 countries to take action to protect children from the impact of the climate crisis.

— Catarina Rolfsdotter-Jansson, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of supports

Verb

And because the stretch is mechanical rather than synthetic, this construction maintains its comfort and flexibility over time.

— Catherine Salfino, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
In theory, the paper maintains its independence through a 1994 congressional framework and First Amendment protections safeguarded by Congress.

— Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026