1
a
: an opening through something : perforation
The coat has a hole in it.
a bullet hole
b
: an area where something is missing
His mother's death left a hole in his life.
: gap: such as
(2)
: an opening in a defensive formation
a running back's ability to find holes in the defensive line
especially
: the area of a baseball field between the positions of shortstop and third baseman
(3)
: a defect in a crystal (as of a semiconductor) that is due to an electron's having left its normal position in one of the crystal bonds and that is equivalent in many respects to a positively charged particle
2
: a hollowed-out place
a hole in an apple
: such as
a
: a cave, pit, or well in the ground
dug a large hole with a steam shovel
b
: burrow
a rabbit hole
c
: an unusually deep place in a body of water (such as a river)
3
a
: a wretched or dreary place
How could anyone live in such a hole?
b
: a prison cell especially for solitary confinement
threw him in the hole for two days
4
a
golf
: a shallow cylindrical hole or hollowed-out place in the putting green of a golf course into which the ball is played
b
: a part of the golf course from tee (see tee entry 2 sense 2) to putting green
just beginning play on the third hole
also
: the play on such a hole as a unit of scoring
won the hole by two strokes
5
a
: an awkward position or circumstance : fix
got the rebels out of a hole at the battle—
Kenneth Roberts
Kenneth Roberts
b
: a position of owing or losing money
$10 million in the hole
raising money to get out of the hole
holed; holing
1
: to make an opening through or a hollowed-out place in (as by cutting, digging, boring, or shooting at) : to make a hole (see hole entry 1) in
The ship was holed along the waterline by enemy fire.
2
: to drive or hit into a hole
hole a putt
The dogs holed the fox.
: to make an opening through or a hollowed-out place in something : to make a hole in something
Examples of hole in a Sentence
Noun
I have a hole in my sock.
He fixed the hole in the roof.
a mouse hole in the wall
The dog dug a deep hole.
Her putt rolled right into the hole.
She made a birdie on the seventh hole.
The course has 18 holes.
Verb
She holed a long putt for a birdie.
holed the target with a round of shots
Recent Examples on the Web
Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2025
For nearly three years the school shunned NIL and refused to adjust the admissions process for potential transfers, digging itself a sizable hole.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
On the 13th, Boston also tried the hammer, but Thomas holed his 4-foot putt and the hole finished tied.
—Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hole
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Patching a drywall hole is a quick, affordable DIY task that anyone can do.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2025
For nearly three years the school shunned NIL and refused to adjust the admissions process for potential transfers, digging itself a sizable hole.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Verb
After holing his putt, the Australian was hugged and congratulated by Tosti.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
On the 13th, Boston also tried the hammer, but Thomas holed his 4-foot putt and the hole finished tied.
—Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hole
Cite this Entry
“Hole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hole. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
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