1
a
: a hold or place of support for the toes (as in climbing)
b(1)
: a means of progressing (as in surmounting barriers)
(2)
: a slight footing
used his money to get a toehold, then a foothold, then a near stranglehold on the political economy—
R. W. Armstrong
R. W. Armstrong2
: an illegal wrestling hold in which the aggressor bends or twists the other wrestler's foot
Examples of toehold in a Sentence
American companies looking for toeholds in foreign markets.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Allied forces were able to gain a toehold in France that ultimately enabled them to liberate that country and march toward Germany.
—Medianews Group, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2025
High atop a particularly craggy one, the rainfall gets a toehold beneath soil clinging to a very steep and slightly concave slope of rock.
—Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 19 May 2025
But tech experts remain skeptical of whether Microsoft can seriously expand its toehold in the smartphone market.
—IEEE Spectrum, 5 Sep. 2013
Investors might want to take a toehold now, and add to it if the shares, now at about $89, fall below $80.
—John Dorfman, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toehold
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Medianews Group, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2025
High atop a particularly craggy one, the rainfall gets a toehold beneath soil clinging to a very steep and slightly concave slope of rock.
—Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 19 May 2025
But tech experts remain skeptical of whether Microsoft can seriously expand its toehold in the smartphone market.
—IEEE Spectrum, 5 Sep. 2013
Investors might want to take a toehold now, and add to it if the shares, now at about $89, fall below $80.
—John Dorfman, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toehold
Cite this Entry
“Toehold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toehold. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
toehold
noun
toe·hold
ˈtō-ˌhōld 
: a hold or support for the toes (as in climbing)
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