Synonyms of hold
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as in to grip 
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as in to keep
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as in to think
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as in to contain
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as in to have
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as in to retain
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as in to accommodate
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as in to grasp
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as in to consider
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as in to regulate
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as in to aim
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as in grip
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as in stronghold
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as in sway
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as in contact
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as in jail
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as in understanding
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as in imprisonment
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1
as in to grip
to have or keep in one's hands
this casserole dish is too hot to hold, so grab a potholder
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2
as in to keep
to continue to have in one's possession or power
she, and she alone, held the keys to the mysterious chest
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3
as in to think
to have as an opinion
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal"
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5
as in to have
to keep in one's mind or heart
still held her close to his heart, though they had long parted
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6
as in to retain
to keep, control, or experience as one's own
the same family has held this piece of land for over 100 years
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as in to grasp
to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms
please hold my arm on these slippery stairs
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10
as in to regulate
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
we managed to hold our laughter until we got outside hold your temper until you hear the whole story
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11
as in to aim
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal
held the camera on the actor throughout the scene
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1
as in grip
the act or manner of holding
make sure you have a firm hold on the chain saw before you turn it on
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2
as in stronghold
a structure or place from which one can resist attack
the ruins of an ancient Roman hold
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3
as in sway
the right or means to command or control others
the government has no hold over where we live and work
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4
as in contact
the state or fact of being able to exchange information regarding one's current situation
I worry that I won't be able to get hold of you in an emergency
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5
as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
upon hearing the guilty verdict, the accused realized that he would lie in that godforsaken hold for the remainder of his life
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6
as in understanding
the knowledge gained from the process of coming to know or understand something
I need to get hold of the situation before planning a course of action
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7
as in imprisonment
the state of being held in lawful custody
a suspected terrorist who was abducted at an airport and put in hold at an undisclosed location
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold
Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2025
Hamas and its allies still hold 91 people taken from Israel on October 7, 2023.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 24 Jan. 2025
Bobby Allyn, NPR, 9 Apr. 2025
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily placed on hold a judge’s order that the Trump administration had to bring back Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father mistakenly deported to El Salvador, to the United States.
—Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold
Verb
Shelly Mitchell Lynch of Carmel Realty Company holds the listing.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2025
Hamas and its allies still hold 91 people taken from Israel on October 7, 2023.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
Following the Mar-a-Lago dinner, the White House reversed course on H20 chips, putting the plan for additional restrictions on hold, according to two sources with knowledge of the plan who were not authorized to speak publicly.
—Bobby Allyn, NPR, 9 Apr. 2025
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily placed on hold a judge’s order that the Trump administration had to bring back Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father mistakenly deported to El Salvador, to the United States.
—Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold
Verb
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Once the age checks were done, the opening bars to the FIFA anthem crackled through the stadium speakers, and the players filed onto the field, gripping the hands of the young local players escorting them.—
Ryan Lenora Brown,
NPR,
13 Apr. 2025
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In fact, her personal hatred of gripping challenges even served as her Survivor hot take below.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Below are the ones that will help keep the area around your nose clear and irritation-free.—
Daley Quinn,
Glamour,
15 Apr. 2025
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Most of the soups’ packaging carried instructions to keep the soups frozen until ready to use.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Researchers once thought this ability was unique to humans.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Apr. 2025
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Rather than designs being printed by ink, all options are made by gel following the same standard process of any pro manicure (think: base coat, color gel polish, design, top coat).—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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After the fire is fully contained, the next step is to control it.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Fires were contained, and no casualties were reported.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The play-in tournament means you are certified to have had a mediocre season, like Miami’s 37-45.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
19 Apr. 2025
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This at-bat had no significance on an eventual 7-2 Phillies win over the Miami Marlins.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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During an interview earlier this week, Witkoff alluded to the idea that Iran would be able to retain uranium enriched to approximately 3.7% for the purposes of energy production.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Apr. 2025
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Last week, the Trump administration demanded Harvard change multiple policies — including those regarding protesting and diversity, equity and inclusion programs — in order to retain its federal funding.—
Tara Suter,
The Hill,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Modern mainframes offer significant processing power, handling up to 30,000 transactions per second, and can accommodate substantial data with up to 40 terabytes of memory.—
Melody Brue,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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The new bridge is an 80-foot-long, single-span bridge to provide better flow of water in Columbia Hollow Creek and is wide enough for two lanes of traffic and is designed to accommodate all legal loads.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Those are the memories Lee grasps onto, hoping to pass that knowledge along to the youthful Hornets.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Apr. 2025
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Even those with noble intentions, like Boromir, who dream of wielding it to protect their people, fail to grasp its truth.—
Jon Fleischman,
Oc Register,
12 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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