hold together: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral
Quick answer
What does “hold together” mean?
To keep the parts of something united.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To keep the parts of something united; to remain intact.
To maintain unity or coherence despite pressure, difficulty, or disintegration; to manage a situation so that a group or system continues to function.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or syntactic differences.
Connotations
Slightly more common in political/ social commentary in UK English.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “hold together” in a Sentence
NP hold togetherNP hold NP togetherVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hold together” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The political party is struggling to hold together after the scandal.
- Can this old adhesive hold the laminate together?
American English
- She managed to hold her family together through the crisis.
- The contract has a clause to hold the partnership together.
adverb
British English
- The parts were fixed hold-together with a temporary clamp.
American English
- They operated hold-together until reinforcements arrived.
adjective
British English
- A hold-together solution was needed while they awaited permanent repairs.
American English
- He applied a hold-together patch to the inner tube.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The new CEO is the only person who can hold the company together during the merger.
Academic
The theory's fundamental assumptions are what hold its various models together.
Everyday
A bit of tape should hold the broken vase together until we can glue it properly.
Technical
The molecular bonds are strong enough to hold the compound together under extreme heat.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hold together”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hold together”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hold together”
- Incorrect: 'The team holds well together.' (Redundant 'well') Correct: 'The team holds together well.'
- Incorrect preposition: 'hold together with' (can be correct if followed by means, e.g., 'held together with glue') but often misused.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a separable phrasal verb. You can say 'hold the team together' or, less commonly, 'hold together the team'.
Yes, especially in the idiom 'hold it together', meaning to maintain one's composure. Example: 'She was grieving but held it together for the children.'
In social contexts, common opposites are 'fall apart', 'break up', 'disband', or 'fragment'.
It is neutral but often implies a temporary or fragile state that is being maintained against pressure. It can be permanent if the bonding force is strong (e.g., 'The welds hold the structure together').
To keep the parts of something united.
Hold together is usually neutral in register.
Hold together: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhəʊld təˌɡeðə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhoʊld təˌɡeðər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to hold it all together (to manage one's life/emotions)”
- “the glue that holds (something) together”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a book with loose pages; a strong rubber band HOLDS them TOGETHER.
Conceptual Metaphor
COHERENCE IS PHYSICAL BONDING / A SYSTEM IS A PHYSICAL STRUCTURE.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'hold together' used intransitively?