take hold
idiomatic phrase
1
: to grasp, grip, or seize something
took hold and hung on tight
—often used with oftake hold of the railing
… she took hold of his arm with both her hands, and looked up eagerly—oh, with such terrible eagerness!—into his face.—
Anthony Trollope
—often used figurativelyAnthony TrollopeAs word of the subpoenas spread … confusion and hysteria took hold of the social set …—Bob Colacello
Bob ColacelloI did not want Merlin to retire from the job until I was ready to take hold of it effectively myself …—Mark Twain
Mark Twain2
: to become effective, established, or popular
The change in the law has not yet taken hold.
… a swath of land that has been spared from lava flows long enough that rich vegetation has had a chance to take hold.—G. Brad Lewis
G. Brad Lewis… here in central California the French aesthetic has recently taken hold.—Rebecca Coffey
Rebecca CoffeyExamples of take hold in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But in tiny storefronts and cozy homes, at school fairs and gas stations, many residents in West Texas, near where the measles outbreak has taken hold, appear unfazed.
—Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 11 Apr. 2025
She was briefly considered a rising star in the GOP, but her power within the party fizzled out as President Trump took hold.
—Hannah Schoenbaum, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2025
In each mother, one embryo took hold and proceeded to a full-term pregnancy.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 7 Apr. 2025
Part of the list was originally meant to take hold on March 31.
—Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take hold
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Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 11 Apr. 2025
She was briefly considered a rising star in the GOP, but her power within the party fizzled out as President Trump took hold.
—Hannah Schoenbaum, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2025
In each mother, one embryo took hold and proceeded to a full-term pregnancy.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 7 Apr. 2025
Part of the list was originally meant to take hold on March 31.
—Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take hold
Cite this Entry
“Take hold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20hold. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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