foothold
noun
foot·hold
ˈfu̇t-ˌhōld 
1
: a hold for the feet : footing
2
: a position usable as a base for further advance
The company secured a foothold in the market.
Examples of foothold in a Sentence
The army gained a foothold on the island.
The company has secured a foothold in the market.
Recent Examples on the Web
While the commitments to long-term space are notable, the decisions are a mix of maintaining footholds and new growth.
—
Krysta Escobar, CNBC, 5 Apr. 2026
With his roots in the Wolverine State and ongoing ownership of the Pistons, he is believed to maintain a foothold in Michigan.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2026
That can mean gaining multiple footholds, altering authentication settings or gaining access via third parties.
—William Akoto, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
In between all that, the host also managed to explain that everyone would be broken up into three groups, with each group going to Tribal Council, and the person who could last longest on narrow footholds for each group would win individual immunity.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for foothold
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.
Krysta Escobar, CNBC, 5 Apr. 2026
With his roots in the Wolverine State and ongoing ownership of the Pistons, he is believed to maintain a foothold in Michigan.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2026
That can mean gaining multiple footholds, altering authentication settings or gaining access via third parties.
—William Akoto, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
In between all that, the host also managed to explain that everyone would be broken up into three groups, with each group going to Tribal Council, and the person who could last longest on narrow footholds for each group would win individual immunity.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for foothold
Cite this Entry
“Foothold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foothold. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
