uphold
Americanverb (used with object)
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upholds,
present (3rd person singular)
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upheld,
past participle, past
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upholding
present participle
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to support or defend, as against opposition or criticism.
He fought the duel to uphold his family's honor.
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to keep up or keep from sinking; support.
Stout columns upheld the building's heavy roof. Her faith upheld her in that time of sadness.
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to lift upward; raise.
The pilgrims upheld their eyes and thanked heaven for their safe journey.
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British.
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to upholster.
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to maintain in good condition; take care of.
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verb
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to maintain, affirm, or defend against opposition or challenge
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to give moral support or inspiration to
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rare to support physically
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to lift up
Usage
What are other ways to say uphold? To uphold something means to support it or defend it against opposition or criticism. How is uphold different from maintain, support, and sustain? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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upholdsimple
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upholdssimple
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have upheldperfect
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has upheldperfect
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am upholdingprogressive
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are upholdingprogressive
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is upholdingprogressive
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have been upholdingperfect progressive
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has been upholdingperfect progressive
Past
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upheldsimple
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had upheldperfect
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was upholdingprogressive
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were upholdingprogressive
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had been upholdingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of uphold
First recorded in 1300–1350; Middle English upholden; see up-, hold 1
Explanation
When you uphold something, you stick up for or support it. Police officers are paid to uphold the law, and crazy Elvis fans uphold their belief that he's still alive out there somewhere. If you reverse the two parts of this word, you get hold up. And that's exactly what upholding is: holding up or supporting an idea or practice. You might uphold your dog's innocence, even though it's pretty obvious he dug up the neighbor's flower bed. When America fought for independence, we upheld the idea of fair representation. When you uphold something, you're taking a stand for it.
Vocabulary lists containing uphold
Beowulf vocabulary
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "U"
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Ghost Boys
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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.
See Examples For:
The prime minister said they were "working together" to uphold the principles of the peace deal for Northern Ireland.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
The influential leaders of UCLA’s Academic Senate sent a more measured letter to Frenk about their “concerns and reservations,” urging administrators and faculty to work together to uphold academic freedom.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
For Antigone this is an imposition of political power over divine law, and she puts her life on the line to uphold her obligation to her family and faith.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
The regulator advised investment banks to uphold high standards when advising IPO hopefuls, ensuring that they have healthy financials, promising revenue prospects and valuable technological innovations, the people said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
Questioning a man’s ghayrat, or ability to uphold his family’s honor, was one of the most insulting things you could say to a Pukhtun.
From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai
If the company upholds its decision, he should then file a complaint with his state’s insurance department and/or consult an attorney who specializes in property-insurance disputes.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
The decision upholds a turn-back policy that began in 2016 as an emergency response to a surge of Haitian immigrants at the San Ysidro border crossing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
"Either its people unite around a sovereign state that monopolises weapons, upholds the law and protects citizens irrespective of their affiliation or position, or it remains hostage to the logic of militias," he said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 13, 2026
Plaid Cymru said it "wants a fair, rules-based system of controlled migration that works for Wales, meets the needs of our communities, reflects Wales' unique challenges, and that upholds our values".
From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026
We upholds the family’s honor, and we never speaks ill of them — though Professor Dumbledore told Dobby he does not insist upon this.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
Bollinger in 2003, upheld colleges and universities engaging in affirmative action, with Justice O’Connor writing an opinion.
From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026
Their convictions and sentences were upheld after an appeal hearing in July.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
He was convicted in 2017, with the life sentence upheld on appeal in 2021.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
In a post uploaded to Instagram, actor Jamie Lee Curtis upheld Dolly’s bravery, writing that “she was more than they thought she was.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
The ban was upheld everywhere in the country.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
A state appeals court decision upholding the marital status policy is being appealed to the state Supreme Court.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
“We’re upholding election integrity,” said Ms. Nessel, a Democrat, “by investigating all claims of non-citizen voters, as rare as they are, and holding bad actors accountable.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
A spokesperson for the department said it was "committed to restoring nature and cleaning up our rivers whilst upholding the highest animal welfare standards".
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
Legal service providers said at the heart of the matter is upholding due process, protecting children from exploitation and ensuring the federal government follows its own laws.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
The Civil War was being fought in the hopes of keeping the Union together and upholding the Constitution—not for the abolition of what Southerners liked to call “the peculiar institution.”
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
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.
