as in to survive
to continue to operate or to meet one's needs
we hoped our supply of firewood would hold out until power was restored luckily, the old outboard motor held out till we made it to shore
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hold out
Lower courts have rejected the administration’s arguments, but the administration has held out hope that the conservative-majority Supreme Court will rescue the tariffs, quickly appealing to the justices and urging them to move with speed.
—
Aris Folley, The Hill, 9 Sep. 2025
Look at a nearby object, then hold out your arm and place your thumb in front of the object.
—Big Think, 9 Sep. 2025
The other option is to hold out and try to sign him on a free next summer.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
He’s been holding out for Joan all the while, biding his time as a bartender at Elysium’s version of Grand Central.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold out
Aris Folley, The Hill, 9 Sep. 2025
Look at a nearby object, then hold out your arm and place your thumb in front of the object.
—Big Think, 9 Sep. 2025
The other option is to hold out and try to sign him on a free next summer.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
He’s been holding out for Joan all the while, biding his time as a bartender at Elysium’s version of Grand Central.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold out
Verb
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The bill on Wednesday night survived a procedural vote on party lines.—
The Hill,
The Hill,
18 Sep. 2025
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The program also extends support to certain surviving family members, including spouses, dependent children, and even parents of deceased service members.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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My Final Thoughts This foundation is a game-changer for anyone with oily or combination skin who wants full coverage that actually lasts through heat and/or long days.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
19 Sep. 2025
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The battery is said to last eight hours of typical use, and the charging case will now provide an extra 48 hours of battery on top.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Until then, the prevailing view, originating with French microbiologist Louis Pasteur, was that diseased plants contain microbes and healthy plants do not.—
Anna Marija Helt,
JSTOR Daily,
17 Sep. 2025
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More so, as efficiency gains, and, the gradually shifting nature of oil consumption away from ground transportation toward petrochemicals and aviation add to prevailing demand uncertainties.—
Gaurav Sharma,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20out. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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