behold
Americanverb (used with object)
interjection
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of behold
First recorded before 900; Middle English beholden, Old English behaldan “to keep”; see be-, hold 1
Explanation
To behold is to see. You could behold the changing sky as the sun sets. It’s old-fashioned and fancy, so magicians like to use it, as in “Behold! I shall pull a rabbit out of my hat!” Have you ever heard "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"? That can help you remember that to behold is to see something and to hold it in your attention. To behold is to look intensely — it’s much more than a glance. A good example of beholding is when you take the time to check out something special like that beautiful sunset, or a bunny hopping out of a hat and handing out candy.
Vocabulary lists containing behold
"Frankenstein"
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Awkward
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"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“So low and behold, this is going to be a really good business for us,” Zinsner added, according to a transcript.
From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026
Or behold their prototypes displayed in a museum behind glass.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
Even when her film is utterly befuddling, it’s a joy to behold.
From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026
He tells me, I try that, it works for me, and lo and behold when the race comes, I might beat him.
From BBC • Feb. 11, 2026
He could not behold the fiery heart without thinking of the shadow Melisandre had birthed in the gloom beneath Storm's End.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
