beholden
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of beholden
1300–50; Middle English, adj. use of beholden, old past participle of behold
Explanation
The adjective beholden describes owing someone for something the person did to help you — it's your duty to repay the person. If your army buddy saves your life, you're beholden to help him when he gets injured. Being beholden to someone means more than just feeling like you owe someone for a small favor. When you're beholden, it involves a bigger feeling of responsibility, one that sticks with you — and might even weigh on you — until you're able to repay it. Some people feel so uncomfortable being beholden to others that they try not to accept assistance from anyone out of worry over what they'd have to do in return.
Vocabulary lists containing beholden
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Refugee
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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.
Fee-only CFPs are pricier as they are being paid only by you, but their advice is more transparent as they are not beholden to another company.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026
"I don't understand why we are in a situation where we're beholden to supply and demand when it comes to something as basic as healthcare and medicine," she said.
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
When an actor is so beholden to one role, it doesn’t just limit their creativity, but their perspective, too.
From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026
The military said it refused to be beholden to a corporation and pushed back, labeling Anthropic a threat akin to an enemy foreign power and blocking it from some government contracts.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026
“I’m beholden to you for that. Can we go now? I need to get back to my sister.”
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
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.
