foothold

American  

[foot-hohld] / ˈfʊtˌhoʊld /

noun

• footholds
  plural

1. a place or support for the feet; 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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• footholds
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of foothold

First recorded in 1615–25; foot + hold ¹

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Explanation

A foothold is a flat or steady area on which you can put your foot when you're climbing. Part of the trick to rock climbing is learning to find good footholds. A literal foothold is wide enough for you to fit your foot and sturdy enough to hold your weight, and a figurative foothold gives you this same sense of security, usually setting you up to make progress. For example, your first published magazine piece can give you a foothold in the field of freelance writing. This sense of foothold dates from the mid-17th century, meaning "stable ground from which to act."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

foothold footholds

Rivals BMW BMW 0.73%increase; green up pointing triangle and Mercedes-Benz established a manufacturing foothold in the U.S. years ago, leaving them generally less exposed to tariff costs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

The site on Goudier Island was chosen in the 1940s to become a permanent British foothold in Antarctica because it was known as a safe place to anchor by early 20th Century whaling ships.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026

The move gives Nvidia an important foothold in the PC market while Microsoft seeks to target AI power users.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

Now, his latest real estate purchase gives the former governor a substantial new foothold in the Hamptons—complete with enough acreage and amenities to turn his summers into a decidedly resortlike affair.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

The rebels, who were barely maintaining a foothold in several districts, have rallied.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

He cited Texas-based petroleum companies Murphy Oil and Apache Oil, a subsidiary of APA, as firms that have already established international footholds.

From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 2026

In du Maurier’s world, the usual footholds by which sanity is maintained are always in danger of being kicked away by circumstance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2025

Sweden has now joined Nato, meaning that eight Nato countries now border the Baltic Sea where Russia maintains two strategic footholds, in St Petersburg and Kaliningrad.

From BBC ● Dec. 31, 2024

Following the death of 20-year-old Grace Rohloff, climbers say adding more footholds could make the trek less harrowing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2024

A chunk of rock crumbled in her hand, and she had trouble finding footholds.

From "The Wild Robot" by Peter Brown

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Related Words

• footing
• niche
• perch
• toehold

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