HOLDS Synonyms: 412 Similar and Opposite Words

holds 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of hold

as in grips

to have or keep in one's hands this casserole dish is too hot to hold, so grab a potholder

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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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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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as in contains

to have within the mysterious chest held an ancient book on magic spells and potions

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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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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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as in accommodates

to make or have room for the couple needed to rent a hall that would hold 300 people

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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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as in considers

to think of in a particular way held to be the best blueberry pies in the state

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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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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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holds

2 of 2

noun

plural of hold

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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as in strongholds

a structure or place from which one can resist attack the ruins of an ancient Roman hold

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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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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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outsides

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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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

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.

Recent Examples of holds

Verb

There is a build up of dust on the chain that holds the cup dispenser suspended above the ice cream station. — Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026 One other consideration was the Dream’s primary home, Gateway Center Arena in College Park, which holds about 3,500. — Rod Beard, AJC.com, 26 Oct. 2026 Among the 233 two-man combos around the NBA that entered Monday with 50 or more minutes played together this season, the Adebayo-Antetokounmpo pairing holds the fifth-worst net rating. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026 The winner of the race could determine which party holds a majority in the Senate starting in January. — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026 Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, who sits on the company’s board, holds 9,410 shares. — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026 Daunt holds that a literary culture is something booksellers are well placed to build. — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 Uzbekistan holds vast deposits of rare earths and critical minerals, while neighboring Kazakhstan is the world’s leading producer of uranium, accounting for 40% of supplies. — semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Your iPhone probably holds more personal information than your wallet. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Noun

Range Control imposed safety check-holds across adjacent training sectors to clear the zone and protect surrounding operations. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026 The recommendation matches the Wall Street consensus, where five of seven analysts rate Ambiq Micro a buy or strong buy, with two holds, LSEG data shows. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026 If the demand Gupta describes holds, the atelier could show that an independent house from India — or, perhaps, anywhere in the Global South — can establish a fruitful global presence. — Sujata Assomull, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2026 There are holds installed all over a window, leading to moments of awkward eye contact with passersby outside. — Sarah Rose Siskind, Curbed, 28 Sep. 2026 Before moving it to cloud servers, test whether a searchable archive can meet access and retention needs, including legal holds. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026 While the most onerous traffic delays — the 20-minute holds — are largely over, Kionka said, motorists should still expect some impacts for the remainder of the project, including occasional traffic shifts, closures and detours. — Robert Tann, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2026 The duo walks away from this skirmish, though not unscathed, as Samjad quickly and economically sets up a blistering saga of stylish reprisals with no holds barred. — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026 Two more holds for Zverev later, and Shelton hadn’t broken the German’s serve in 63 service games. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for holds

Verb

The Mercyenforcer grips the handle of his light in his bare hand to look into my other eye.

— Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
New Orleans is facing an unusual weather combination as Tropical Storm Bertha moves along the northern Gulf Coast while dangerous heat grips the region.

— Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 22 July 2026

Definition of grips

Verb

Despite the protests, Vucic retains considerable support among Serbia's voters.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Despite not receiving the endorsement of the faculty guild, Buelna retains the support of a number of faculty members, including the president of the academic senate, Angela Echeverri.

— Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of retains

Verb

Regarding the principal of the investment from the sale of Porter Memorial Hospital, Gulley thinks the Porter County Foundation Board, made up of the 10 members of the Board of Commissioners and the County Council, has managed it well.

— Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
Those features can create confidence before someone even thinks to check who operates the business.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of thinks

Verb

This floor also contains a guest bedroom and bathroom, staff quarters, laundry and a security room.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026
This spice contains plant compounds called gingerols and shogaols, which help lower the level of inflammatory proteins in the body and block inflammation from occurring.

— Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of contains

Verb

Constant calls demanding others pay for every social cause regardless of cost has its limits.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
Both approaches require costly infrastructure, but while exports could quickly fill government coffers, using gas to fuel industrialization has the potential to deliver a larger long-term payoff.

— Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of has

Verb

Colossal owns a stake and licenses its technology to the startup.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
In Los Angeles, the Chetrit Organization also owns the long-idle Trinity Auditorium, also known as the Embassy Auditorium and Embassy Hotel.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of owns

Verb

The site accommodates about 8 spots to vote and was quite busy on this sunny morning.

— Yarden Segev, NBC news, 27 Oct. 2026
The property includes eight major league-sized baseball fields and three multiuse turf fields, while the 170,000-square-foot Champions Center accommodates 12 basketball courts or 24 volleyball courts.

— Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2026