uphold

[ uhp-hohld ]

/ ʌpˈhoʊld /

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See synonyms for: uphold / upheld / upholding / upholder on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), up·held

[uhp-held], /ʌpˈhɛld/, up·hold·ing.

to support or defend, as against opposition or criticism: He fought the duel to uphold his family's honor.

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.

to lift upward; raise: The pilgrims upheld their eyes and thanked heaven for their safe journey.

British.

to upholster.
to maintain in good condition; take care of.

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“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

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Origin of uphold

First recorded in 1300–1350; Middle English upholden; see up-, hold¹

OTHER WORDS FROM uphold

up·hold·er, noun

Words nearby uphold

upheaval, upheave, upheld, Up-Helly-Aa, uphill, uphold, upholster, upholsterer, upholstery, uphroe, UPI

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

WHEN TO USE

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.

How to use uphold in a sentence

The public has an expectation that officers are true to their oath, that they’re upholding the law, not breaking the law.
How Criminal Cops Often Avoid Jail|by Andrew Ford, Asbury Park Press|September 23, 2020|ProPublica
When Marshall began challenging segregation in the 1930s, the Supreme Court had rejected some forms of racial discrimination even though it had upheld segregation.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Helped Shape The Modern Era Of Women’s Rights – Even Before She Went On The Supreme Court|LGBTQ-Editor|September 21, 2020|No Straight News
This illiberal assault is putting inordinate pressure on the liberal international order and the institutions that uphold it, including the UN, NATO, the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, and others.
Covid-19 and the geopolitics of American decline|Katie McLean|August 19, 2020|MIT Technology Review
It also said that survey measures might underestimate the American public’s commitment to upholding democratic norms, when in fact, they might overestimate them.
What Happened In Portland Shows Just How Fragile Our Democracy Is|Maggie Koerth (maggie.koerth-baker@fivethirtyeight.com)|August 5, 2020|FiveThirtyEight

Similar procedural failures have plagued other administration efforts to abruptly and unilaterally change longstanding immigration controls anchored in existing law and upheld by the courts.
Court Decision on Asylum Seekers Resonates with Washington Area Latinos|Truthbetold|July 7, 2020|TruthBeTold.news
A few days later, Bush replied, “We will uphold the law in Florida.”
Jeb Bush’s Unseen Anti-Gay Marriage Emails|Jackie Kucinich|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And yet, ultimately, the Supreme Court holds the power to uphold or undo what it has taken him years to accomplish.
From POTUS to SCOTUS: Obama’s Big Move?|Keli Goff|November 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Meese, with the tacit acquiescence of other top officials, had laid out a version of events all were expected to uphold.
How the Reagan White House Bungled Its Response to Iran-Contra Revelations|Malcolm Byrne|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“It also comes with a bit of pressure to uphold that look,” he laughs.
Nick Jonas Is All Grown Up, Clutching His Penis and Everything|Kevin Fallon|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Earlier this week she pleaded with ISIS to uphold the verdict of a makeshift Sharia court, which ruled that he was not a spy.
ISIS Beheads British Aid Worker Alan Henning|Nico Hines|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The very act of producing is sufficient to uphold the equilibrium of the mental frame.
A Cursory History of Swearing|Julian Sharman
The object of the one party was to support Don Carlos and despotism; the other to uphold Isabella and the constitution.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III.|E. Farr and E. H. Nolan
That we are here proves that we do not uphold the people, and we need not too closely inquire who our neighbor may be.
The Light That Lures|Percy Brebner
Note the tiny quivering gold wires that uphold each emerald scale.
They Looked and Loved|Mrs. Alex McVeigh Miller
The wealth acquired through her naval supremacy enabled her to uphold the cause of her allies on the continent.
The Political History of England - Vol. X.|William Hunt

British Dictionary definitions for uphold

uphold

/ (ʌpˈhəʊld) /

verb -holds, -holding or -held (tr)

to maintain, affirm, or defend against opposition or challenge

to give moral support or inspiration to

rare to support physically

to lift up

Derived forms of uphold

upholder, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

uphold

Origin of uphold

OTHER WORDS FROM uphold

Words nearby uphold

WHEN TO USE

What are other ways to say uphold?

Words related to uphold

How to use uphold in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for uphold

Derived forms of uphold