All Definitions for Hold
Below are all the dictionary definitions of hold:
1To grasp or grip.
2To contain or store.
3To maintain or keep to a position or state.
4To have and keep possession of something.
5To reserve.
6To cause to wait or delay.
7To detain.
8To be or remain valid
9To apply (usually in the third person).
10To keep oneself in a particular state.
11To impose restraint upon
12To limit in motion or action
13To bind legally or morally
14To confine
15To restrain.
16To bear, carry, or manage.
17Not to move
18To halt
19To stop.
20Not to give way
21Ot to part or become separated
22To remain unbroken or unsubdued.
23To remain continent
24To control an excretory bodily function.
25To maintain or keep to particular opinions, promises, actions.
26To maintain, to consider, to opine.
27To bind (someone) to a consequence of his or her actions.
28To maintain in being or action
29To carry on
30To prosecute, as a course of conduct or an argument
31To continue
32To sustain.
33To accept, as an opinion
34To be the adherent of, openly or privately
35To persist in, as a purpose
36To maintain
37To sustain.
38To win one's own service game.
39To take place, to occur.
40To organise an event or meeting (usually in passive voice).
41In a food or drink order at an informal restaurant etc., requesting that a component normally included in that order be omitted.
42To be in possession of illicit drugs for sale.
43A grasp or grip.
44An act or instance of holding.
45A place where animals are held for safety
46An order that something is to be reserved or delayed, limiting or preventing how it can be dealt with.
47Something reserved or kept.
48Power over someone or something.
49The ability to persist.
50The property of maintaining the shape of styled hair.
51A position or grip used to control the opponent.
52An exercise involving holding a position for a set time
53The percentage the house wins on a gamble, the house or bookmaker's hold.
54The wager amount, the total hold.
55An instance of holding one's service game, as opposed to being broken.
56The part of an object one is intended to grasp, or anything one can use for grasping with hands or feet.
57A fruit machine feature allowing one or more of the reels to remain fixed while the others spin.
58A pause facility.
59The queueing system on telephones and similar communication systems which maintains a connection when all lines are busy.
60A statistic awarded to a relief pitcher who is not still pitching at the end of the game and who records at least one out and maintains a lead for his team.
61A region of airspace reserved for aircraft being kept in a holding pattern.
62The cargo area of a ship or aircraft (often holds or cargo hold).
63To restrain oneself
64To refrain
65To hold back.
66To derive right or title.
67Gracious
68Friendly
69Faithful
70True.
About synonyms for hold
Finding the right synonym for hold helps writers avoid repetition and add precision to their work. Defined as "To grasp or grip.", hold has 10 alternatives that can fit different contexts and tones.
Each synonym carries a slightly different shade of meaning. Keep is the most direct replacement in most situations. Support works well in formal or professional contexts. Sustain is often preferred when the context calls for a more specific or nuanced expression.
When choosing a synonym, consider the connotation, formality level, and audience. Some alternatives work better in casual conversation while others shine in academic or professional writing. For example, using a more formal synonym in a business email can elevate your tone, while a casual synonym might feel more natural in creative writing or dialogue.
It is also worth noting that not all synonyms are perfectly interchangeable. The context of your sentence, the surrounding words, and the intended emotional impact all play a role in selecting the best alternative. The list above provides the most common and useful replacements for hold, but always read your sentence aloud to ensure the chosen word flows naturally.