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
The gamble that Dallas plays in this instance is if Pickens holds out from voluntary and mandatory offseason activities until a long-term deal is worked out.
—
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
Trade deadline season always holds out some hope, as well as rampant rumor-mongering, that something big will happen and the B’s were the subject of much talk.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
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
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
Trade deadline season always holds out some hope, as well as rampant rumor-mongering, that something big will happen and the B’s were the subject of much talk.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holds out
Verb
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The person who survives the abyss is the one with a dozen people standing at the top holding a rope.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
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President Jimmy Carter’s determination and discipline achieved the historic 1978 Camp David peace between Egypt and Israel, which still survives.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Counsell is hoping the rehab lasts from three to seven days.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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The 2026 New York International Auto Show begins April 3 and lasts until April 12.—
Keith Laing,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But if a court reaches a different interpretation of a legal question, that determination prevails.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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By backing multiple candidates, Uber appears to be positioning itself to maintain influence regardless of which candidate ultimately prevails.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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If the line holds up and Kohl and Gaines are as good as advertised, the Panthers could be dangerous.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
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One notable feature is the hidden bit storage compartment, which includes a magnetic base that holds up to four standard S2 bits for a total of six in the entire multitool – the original Joat stored just two.—
Maryna Holovnova,
New Atlas,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holds out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holds%20out. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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