hole up

verb

holed up; holing up; holes up

intransitive verb

: to hide out in or as if in a hole or cave

transitive verb

: to place in or as if in a refuge or hiding place

Examples of hole up in a Sentence

we'll hole up in the cellar and wait out the hurricane
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The locale he’s holed up in isn’t horrible, either. Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 25 June 2025 In the early ‘80s, the King of New Jersey holed up in a small house in the Hollywood Hills. Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 24 June 2025 With a second wave of New Babylon forces marching through Manhattan, Maggie, Negan, and Armstrong holed up in apartment and ended the season with a joint proclamation. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 23 June 2025 Across the region, once-busy parks, shops and businesses have emptied as undocumented residents and their families hole up at home in fear. Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for hole up

Word History

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of hole up was in 1875

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hole up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hole%20up. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

hole up

verb
: to take shelter in or as if in a hole or cave
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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