1
as in clutched
to have or keep in one's hands
this casserole dish is too hot to hold, so grab a potholder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in retained
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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3
as in believed
to have as an opinion
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal"
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4
5
as in had
to keep in one's mind or heart
still held her close to his heart, though they had long parted
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in owned
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
as in grasped
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
10
as in controlled
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in aimed
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal
held the camera on the actor throughout the scene
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of held
During 9/11, people walked down the stairs in single file and held the door open for each other.
—
Rascal Kemble-Curry, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2025
Ensign said the Department of Homeland Security is complying with the law during deportations, and people could file challenges individually in Texas, where they were held before being sent to El Salvador.
—arkansasonline.com, 22 Mar. 2025
The couple married on July 25, 2020, and held their wedding celebration on July 9, 2022, at MSU’s Breslin Student Events Center, where the basketball team plays.
—Alexandra Hurtado, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Also, the Heat held the NBA’s 14th-worst record at the start of the skid and now has the league’s eighth-worst record this season.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2025
The picture then appears to become less clear, with an around 63% likelihood of rates also being held at the Fed’s May meeting, before tipping toward a rate cut in June.
—Sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
The Bears’ top-25 scoring offense was held to just 26% in the first half as TCU jumped out to a 30-19 halftime lead.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Mar. 2025
These two attributes help explain why the stock has held onto its low double-digit percentage gains this year while the S & P 500 has fallen 4%.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
There must be prompt, transparent and impartial investigations into all the killings and other violations, and those responsible must be held to account, in line with international law norms and standards.
—William Lambers, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025
Rascal Kemble-Curry, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2025
Ensign said the Department of Homeland Security is complying with the law during deportations, and people could file challenges individually in Texas, where they were held before being sent to El Salvador.
—arkansasonline.com, 22 Mar. 2025
The couple married on July 25, 2020, and held their wedding celebration on July 9, 2022, at MSU’s Breslin Student Events Center, where the basketball team plays.
—Alexandra Hurtado, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Also, the Heat held the NBA’s 14th-worst record at the start of the skid and now has the league’s eighth-worst record this season.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2025
The picture then appears to become less clear, with an around 63% likelihood of rates also being held at the Fed’s May meeting, before tipping toward a rate cut in June.
—Sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
The Bears’ top-25 scoring offense was held to just 26% in the first half as TCU jumped out to a 30-19 halftime lead.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Mar. 2025
These two attributes help explain why the stock has held onto its low double-digit percentage gains this year while the S & P 500 has fallen 4%.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
There must be prompt, transparent and impartial investigations into all the killings and other violations, and those responsible must be held to account, in line with international law norms and standards.
—William Lambers, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for held
Verb
-
Leicester have retained their former men’s training ground, Belvoir Drive, just outside the city centre, which is situated in a housing estate, and there is so far no information on the Land Registry of a sale.—
Rob Tanner,
The Athletic,
8 Jan. 2025
-
Producers hold onto their rights and their IP and the value from our spend is retained in the UK, not across the Atlantic.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
8 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Nobody would’ve believed that, right?—
Anthony Slater,
The Athletic,
15 Feb. 2025
-
Israel says as many as half of them are believed to be dead.—
Daniel Estrin,
NPR,
15 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Some of the genetic samples from the patient contained gene mutations that might help H5N1 infect people more easily.—
Sheryl Gay Stolberg,
New York Times,
3 Jan. 2025
-
The tea bags studied by the Barcelona scientists contained polypropylene, cellulose and nylon, but there are many tea bags in stores which are plastic free.—
Hatty Willmoth,
Newsweek,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Smith had seven points in the quarter, including a 3-pointer in the waning moments to give the Guardians a 42-36 lead.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
5 Mar. 2025
-
But yes, that was cold-blooded to Dickson, who clearly had a crush on her.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
In many ways, the Twins’ sale mirrors that of the Nationals, who are owned by the Lerner family and have members of the family who were adamantly against the team changing hands.—
Ken Rosenthal,
The Athletic,
25 Mar. 2025
-
Dolan bristled when the NBA tried to interfere with his decision to hire Isiah Thomas to run the New York Liberty in 2015, when MSG still owned the WNBA team.—
Mike Vorkunov,
The Athletic,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Large animals are being accommodated at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
Newsweek,
9 Jan. 2025
-
However, after more than two seasons, Adams asked to be traded last September, and the Raiders eventually accommodated his request.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Jeff Skinner has not enjoyed a strong first half and would have to contribute an enormous final half in order to be considered for another deal.—
Allan Mitchell,
The Athletic,
6 Jan. 2025
-
There’s no hiding within the dizzying gleam of those attention-seeking discs, a useful tool in a room that decides who and what is considered worthy of praise.—
Daniel Rodgers,
Vogue,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
In the comment sections, fans were excited that Kelce kept the same hair length.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
11 Mar. 2025
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Throughout the crisis, staffers kept everyone safe while maintaining the same high level of service and hospitality.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
11 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Held.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/held. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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