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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Recent Examples of hold out
Stillwell and Kendrick held out though, resulting in a prolonged legal process over the course of which both men were stabbed in jail.
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Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 4 Dec. 2024
For more than a year, Ronen and Orna Neutra have held out hope that their son, Omer, was alive, captured by Hamas following its attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
—Philip Marcelo, Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2024
Hurricanes cornerback Damari Brown warmed up before Miami's game against Wake Forest but was held out of the game.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 23 Nov. 2024
On the front end of a back-to-back, the Clippers were able to rest the entire starting lineup in the fourth quarter while holding out former 76er Nicolas Batum, 35, for the entire second half, ensuring no player reached 30 minutes ahead of their trip to the Boston Celtics.
—Law Murray, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hold out 
Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 4 Dec. 2024
For more than a year, Ronen and Orna Neutra have held out hope that their son, Omer, was alive, captured by Hamas following its attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
—Philip Marcelo, Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2024
Hurricanes cornerback Damari Brown warmed up before Miami's game against Wake Forest but was held out of the game.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 23 Nov. 2024
On the front end of a back-to-back, the Clippers were able to rest the entire starting lineup in the fourth quarter while holding out former 76er Nicolas Batum, 35, for the entire second half, ensuring no player reached 30 minutes ahead of their trip to the Boston Celtics.
—Law Murray, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hold out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold out
Verb
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By emphasizing the long-term game, DEI work can better survive the short-term backlash.Julie Kratz, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
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But Roz teaches the animals to act against their nature—to befriend one another, accept Brightbill, and work together to survive.Elvia Wilk, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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On the other hand, longer breaks, especially those lasting months, tend to result in more significant losses, particularly for beginners.Alyssa Hui-Anderson, Health, 13 Dec. 2024
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This segment of What’s Ahead examines how Putin’s plans can be thwarted and how a great lasting settlement can be reached, leaving Ukraine truly independent.Steve Forbes, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Kissel prevailed with a golden goal in overtime Monday, bringing the game to 2-1 and the unseeded Vermont its first men’s soccer NCAA championship in program history.Rebecca Tauber, The Athletic, 17 Dec. 2024
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Related article Vikings, Falcons prevail in Monday Night Football doubleheader The reigning back-to-back Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs secured their 10th straight playoff berth with five games to spare after beating the Las Vegas Raiders on Black Friday in Week 13.Sam Joseph, CNN, 17 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near hold out
Cite this Entry
“Hold out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20out. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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