holds (in)

verb

present tense third-person singular of hold (in)
as in masks

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for holds (in)
  1. masks
  2. hides
  3. secretes
  4. conceals
  5. obscures
  6. cloaks
Verb
  • Still, this growth masks a widespread sense of anxiety, driven far more by Washington politics than anything to do with market fundamentals, according to a survey of regional oil companies by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas in late September.
    — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The overall improvement also masks differences among companies assessed in both years.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of masks
Verb
  • While the fabric is satin, the black color hides stains effortlessly.
    — Anna Traver, InStyle, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The malicious software hides inside the phone's firmware, giving attackers powerful access that ordinary apps never receive.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of hides
Verb
  • This fascinating plant secretes a sweet-smelling nectar along the edges of its leaves to attract ants, spiders, crickets, and other bugs.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 14 July 2026
  • The pancreas secretes insulin after a meal to lower blood sugar levels.
    — Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 10 June 2026
Definition of secretes
Verb
  • But the tragedy conceals something nobody knows, and the falsehoods about Jung-hyun keep growing.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The three-word message conceals the depth of a man worthy of dissection.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of conceals
Verb
  • Additionally, the metaphor of the kill switch also obscures the human decisions involved in the responsibility and oversight of an out-of-control model.
    — Trent Wintermeier, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026
  • While the planets in our solar system are still visible, sky glow obscures more distant objects, such as fainter stars.
    — Chris McMullen, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of obscures
Verb
  • The Florida Constitution cloaks everything about executive clemency in unhealthy secrecy.
    — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 July 2026
  • Luis Bustamente designed every detail of each suite with a backdrop of rich navy that cloaks the walls of every room, and furniture framed in the hotel’s signature tri-color scheme.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 May 2026
Definition of cloaks
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.

Browse Nearby Words

holds forth
holds (in)
holds off
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Holds (in).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holds%20%28in%29. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of shindig

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All