1
as in grips
to have or keep in one's hands
this casserole dish is too hot to hold, so grab a potholder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in retains
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in thinks
to have as an opinion
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal"
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4
5
as in has
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 owns
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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7
8
as in grasps
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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9
10
as in regulates
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 aims
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal
held the camera on the actor throughout the scene
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in clasps
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 strongholds
a structure or place from which one can resist attack
the ruins of an ancient Roman hold
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3
as in controls
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 jails
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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5
as in understandings
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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6
as in imprisonments
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 holds
Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
Forecasters aren't sure what the future holds.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 May 2026
On each visit, Whitlow typically holds about five or six babies.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Devil Wears Prada 2 is booked at 4,150 theaters and has all the PLF screens, while the King of Pop holds onto Imax.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 1 May 2026
Mexico holds the distinction of being the country with the most players to have participated in five editions of the World Cup.
—German Fernández-Moores, Houston Chronicle, 1 May 2026
The broadcaster also holds a strategic investment in Legendary Entertainment.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 May 2026
The four-story home, originally built in 1860, spans roughly 6,500 square feet and still holds many of its original architectural details.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 1 May 2026
What was underreported for years is that the same relationship holds for deployment.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 1 May 2026
Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Zachary New, an immigration attorney in Colorado, is one of those representing over 500 people impacted by the holds.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
He is currently being held without bond due to his status as an out-of-state fugitive, with legal holds stemming from Rockdale County, Georgia.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
The wide scale of destruction has Lebanese officials and residents increasingly worried that large numbers of people displaced by the latest war will have nowhere to return if the fragile truce holds.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
Regulations focus on risk management, as lithium battery incidents can escalate rapidly and are harder to control in cargo holds.
—Bailey Berg, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026
Zhang Wei, an associate professor at Shanghai Ocean University who led the research team, said the discovery underscores just how much biological richness the estuary holds.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2026
The Grammy winner was previously placed under two psychiatric holds — which police, social workers and other mental health professionals have the authority to use if a person is considered a danger to themselves or others — weeks apart in January 2008.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
Adam, who generally works the eighth inning, was tied for the team lead with 65 appearances and was second in the major leagues with 30 holds when he got injured last season.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
Unlike most other races on the ballot, the June 2 election is not a primary and will determine who holds the board seat through June 2030.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
Forecasters aren't sure what the future holds.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 May 2026
On each visit, Whitlow typically holds about five or six babies.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Devil Wears Prada 2 is booked at 4,150 theaters and has all the PLF screens, while the King of Pop holds onto Imax.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 1 May 2026
Mexico holds the distinction of being the country with the most players to have participated in five editions of the World Cup.
—German Fernández-Moores, Houston Chronicle, 1 May 2026
The broadcaster also holds a strategic investment in Legendary Entertainment.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 May 2026
The four-story home, originally built in 1860, spans roughly 6,500 square feet and still holds many of its original architectural details.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 1 May 2026
What was underreported for years is that the same relationship holds for deployment.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 1 May 2026
Noun
Businesses that cannot explain discrepancies could face product holds, license suspension, or criminal investigation.
—Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Zachary New, an immigration attorney in Colorado, is one of those representing over 500 people impacted by the holds.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
He is currently being held without bond due to his status as an out-of-state fugitive, with legal holds stemming from Rockdale County, Georgia.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
The wide scale of destruction has Lebanese officials and residents increasingly worried that large numbers of people displaced by the latest war will have nowhere to return if the fragile truce holds.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
Regulations focus on risk management, as lithium battery incidents can escalate rapidly and are harder to control in cargo holds.
—Bailey Berg, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026
Zhang Wei, an associate professor at Shanghai Ocean University who led the research team, said the discovery underscores just how much biological richness the estuary holds.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2026
The Grammy winner was previously placed under two psychiatric holds — which police, social workers and other mental health professionals have the authority to use if a person is considered a danger to themselves or others — weeks apart in January 2008.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
Adam, who generally works the eighth inning, was tied for the team lead with 65 appearances and was second in the major leagues with 30 holds when he got injured last season.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holds
Verb
-
In one example, the robot grips a can sideways, a simple mistake that could lead to spills, showing that human-like understanding remains limited.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Fast forward to today and those fears have materialized with dizzying speed as a historic oil and gas crisis sparked by the US and Israel’s war with Iran grips the world.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While the United States retains extraordinary capabilities, the number of those weapons available and the ability to replace them are more limited.—
James LaPorta,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
According to Israeli security officials, intelligence assessments suggest Iran still retains a ballistic missile arsenal in the thousands.—
Ian Pannell,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
One thinks of the citizens of Buffy’s Sunnydale, blithely going about their business, not moving away despite being located on a Hellmouth.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
But Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG, thinks the Fed should formally change its policy stance.—
Steve Liesman,
CNBC,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On a Back Porch offers a bite-size portion (or perhaps a better analogy would be a beer flight) of what the Dead’s vault contains.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The bathroom is accessed from the kitchen via a pocket door and contains a shower (with a curtain or optional glass enclosure), a sink, and a choice of flushing, composting, or incinerating toilet, plus a washer/dryer.—
Adam Williams
April 25,
New Atlas,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Earnings from India’s bellwether software services exporters have reinforced investor concerns about the sector’s growth prospects, signaling that the downturn in their stocks has further to run.—
Ashutosh Joshi,
Bloomberg,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Lincoln-Way West’s Owen Chudzinski has a love for baseball that goes back a long way.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Charles was also greeted by Kimberley Harris, executive vice president of Comcast, the parent company of NBCUniversal, which owns NBC News.—
Emma Caughlan,
NBC news,
30 Apr. 2026
-
As the Ado Annie-like Betsy, a horny teen-ager whose father owns a shotgun, Kurtz is playing a character who should be, and kind of is, a one-joke punch line.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The platform also accommodates mobile properties such as boats and recreational vehicles, where operational knowledge plays a significant role in both safety and enjoyment.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Accessibility Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa accommodates guests with disabilities and offers ADA-compliant and mobility- and hearing-accessible guest room types.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Odenkirk also grasps what to do and what not to do on camera.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Rosi’s artistry grasps the limitations of being a long-term guest, visually juxtaposing the ancient and elemental, busts and people.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holds. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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