hold the line

phrase

: to maintain the current position or situation
hold the line on prices

Examples of hold the line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
At the end of the day, the league wound up here as a result of GMs failing to hold the line in negotiations, just as was the case with the ridiculously long, back-diving contracts when the salary cap was first implemented. — James Mirtle, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2026 Azure revenue growth accelerated to 43% during its fiscal 2026 fourth quarter and is expected to pick up again this quarter, even as Microsoft holds the line on its capital spending outlook. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026 China and the United States must hold the line of no conflict, and no confrontation between us. — Ana Ceballos, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026 While the guardrails have been adjusted, some liberal Democrats have criticized Lamont for holding the line and not going further to allow more spending. — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hold the line

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hold the line was in 1940

Rhymes for hold the line

See All Rhymes for hold the line

Browse Nearby Words

hold the fort
hold the line
hold the mayo
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hold the line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hold%20the%20line. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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