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
Families hold out hope Law enforcement agencies, like TBI, offer lists and photos so the public can aid in the search for the missing.
—
Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 29 June 2025
However, those are numbers leaked by Bayern, as internally, Stuttgart is willing to hold out for a significantly higher fee.
—Manuel Veth, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Getty Images Overview: NATO holds out its hand to the commercial space sector
NATO’s agreed to open its wallet wider, and space and defense players are likely lining up to benefit.
—Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 27 June 2025
The New York Giants' WR is reportedly holding out for a contract extension.
—Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold out
Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 29 June 2025
However, those are numbers leaked by Bayern, as internally, Stuttgart is willing to hold out for a significantly higher fee.
—Manuel Veth, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Getty Images Overview: NATO holds out its hand to the commercial space sector
NATO’s agreed to open its wallet wider, and space and defense players are likely lining up to benefit.
—Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 27 June 2025
The New York Giants' WR is reportedly holding out for a contract extension.
—Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold out
Verb
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But to survive, Carlos will have to change… and learn that dignity can matter more than winning.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
15 July 2025
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SpaceX has shifted permanently Pacific Ocean spacecraft recoveries to avoid possible instances of pieces of Dragon's trunk surviving atmospheric reentry and crashing back to Earth, which were reported during some Atlantic Ocean and Gulf returns.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
15 July 2025
Verb
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The drier conditions are expected to last through Friday before more rain is in the weekend forecast.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
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Each filter lasts up to 1000 uses and is easy to throw into your hiking backpack for emergencies.—
Anne Taylor,
Travel + Leisure,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Perhaps the only notable shift in Nice’s infamous beach culture is a reduction in toplessness, thanks in part to the prevailing presence of camera phones.—
Sloane Crosley,
Travel + Leisure,
15 July 2025
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Writers who draw on personal stories are often dogged by nonfiction’s prevailing imperative of factual precision.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20out. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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