foothold

[foot-hohld]

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.

foothold

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of foothold¹

First recorded in 1615–25; foot + hold ¹

Example Sentences

What is irrefutable is the Rams are continually deepening their foothold on the Los Angeles market.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

With plans to expand into air, naval and space from its traditional foothold in land defense and ammunition, Rheinmetall is looking to hire more and faster.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Su has also said that strict export controls could disproportionately hurt AMD while it tries to get a foothold in overseas markets and chip away at Nvidia’s lead.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Rising borrowing costs and competitive pressure from fintechs like Affirm as well as the broader banking sector, where Klarna aims to establish a foothold, have curtailed investor appetite.

Read more on Barron's

It is part of Europe’s push to secure a foothold in a global supply chain dominated at every step by China.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• footing 
• niche 
• perch 
• toehold