as in survives
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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Recent Examples of holds out
But seemingly by sheer willpower, Meredith holds out her hand, which sends the liquid back in the opposite direction toward Britani.
—
Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
Here’s hoping the good weather holds out for at least a few more weeks.
—Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
Here’s hoping the good weather holds out for at least a few more weeks.
—Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holds out
Verb
-
What little survives in the form of meteorites is often impossible to locate and collect.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
-
And, well, whoever else survives the trade and can fill a good role.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
No matter how long the connection lasts, enjoy it!—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
In the American pop-culture feedback loop, at the football-movie intersection between sports and cinema and how the two inform and reflect each other, lurks a line delivery that lasts only a couple of seconds.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Whether the House’s restrictive approach prevails or is watered down in negotiations with the Senate could determine not only the future of the emergency fund but also how much unilateral spending power Florida’s governor retains as hurricane season looms over the coming year.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The approach that prevails in the March 3 primary will help determine who has the strength and structure to endure what could be a long political fight.—
Joseph Morton,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Paired with the Country Fried Steak, an 8-ounce beef steak lightly coated, fried, and topped with white gravy, the table has something substantial that holds up as the game stretches on.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Cumming holds up his iPhone to the camera, proudly boasting about still-unseen looks in all their campy and ridiculous glory.—
Jonathan Borge,
InStyle,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holds out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holds%20out. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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