foothold

American  

[foot-hohld] / ˈfʊtˌhoʊld /

noun

1. a place or support for the feet; foot; a place where a person may stand or walk securely.

2. a secure position, especially a firm basis for further progress or development.

   They gained a foothold in the New York market before beginning their national campaign.

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foothold British  

/ ˈfʊtˌhəʊld /

noun

1. a ledge, hollow, or other place affording a secure grip for the foot, as during climbing

2. a secure position from which further progress may be made

   a foothold for a successful career

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Etymology

Origin of foothold

First recorded in 1615–25; foot + hold ¹

Example Sentences

It meant companies were gaining a foothold in the potentially market-upending technology.

From The Wall Street Journal

During his first term, Russia and China both established footholds in the Persian Gulf region.

From The Wall Street Journal

Al-Hol is part of a network of camps and prisons holding people who were detained after U.S.-backed forces eliminated Islamic State’s last remaining foothold of territory in 2019.

From The Wall Street Journal

Roj is home to more than 2,000 others from 40 different nationalities - mainly women and children - who have been held there since IS was driven from its final foothold in Syria in 2019.

From BBC

As Barron’s has written, while China’s best AI generally remains several months behind the leading U.S. models, Chinese developers have gained a foothold in the market by offering open-source models that users can modify.

From Barron's

Related Words

• footing
• niche
• perch
• toehold