hold against
phrasal verb
held against; holding against; holds against
: to use (something) as a reason to have a bad opinion of (someone)
He lied to her once, and she still holds it against him.
Nobody is going to hold it against you if you don't come.
Examples of hold against in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Monday’s groundbreaking was held against the backdrop of a backhoe clawing the wall of one of the complex’s eight buildings, two already torn down to the foundation.
—
Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2024
That charge is related to a woman with disabilities who told police she was abused and held against her will.
—Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 June 2024
While the statement didn’t describe the incident, local press reports say two inspectors were held against their will and attacked amid a protest over police pay.
—Eric Martin and Kelsey Butler / Bloomberg, TIME, 18 June 2024
Here's why Mesa Public Schools board member proposes flag display restrictions
The woman who was held against her will was treated at the hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening, police said, adding she was not injured during the shootout with officers.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 26 Mar. 2024
The woman was being held against her will in the hotel and pimped out by Johnson, according to police.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2024
Instead, individuals were denied care, held against their will and isolated from friends and relatives.
—Rafael Carranza, The Arizona Republic, 10 June 2024
For seventh-round receiver Tahj Washington, the size (5-10, 174 pounds) and mediocre 40-time (4.51) were held against him, despite high-volume production at Southern Cal, including a Pac-12 leading 18.0 yards per catch last season.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 May 2024
The identities of students who sign the letter will be kept confidential and not be held against them during their academic career, Jennifer Calhoun, associate vice provost for student affairs, student living and community standards, wrote in the letter.
—Lilly Price, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2024
Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2024
That charge is related to a woman with disabilities who told police she was abused and held against her will.
—Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 June 2024
While the statement didn’t describe the incident, local press reports say two inspectors were held against their will and attacked amid a protest over police pay.
—Eric Martin and Kelsey Butler / Bloomberg, TIME, 18 June 2024
Here's why Mesa Public Schools board member proposes flag display restrictions
The woman who was held against her will was treated at the hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening, police said, adding she was not injured during the shootout with officers.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 26 Mar. 2024
The woman was being held against her will in the hotel and pimped out by Johnson, according to police.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2024
Instead, individuals were denied care, held against their will and isolated from friends and relatives.
—Rafael Carranza, The Arizona Republic, 10 June 2024
For seventh-round receiver Tahj Washington, the size (5-10, 174 pounds) and mediocre 40-time (4.51) were held against him, despite high-volume production at Southern Cal, including a Pac-12 leading 18.0 yards per catch last season.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 May 2024
The identities of students who sign the letter will be kept confidential and not be held against them during their academic career, Jennifer Calhoun, associate vice provost for student affairs, student living and community standards, wrote in the letter.
—Lilly Price, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hold against.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near hold against
Cite this Entry
“Hold against.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hold%20against. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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