uphold
Americanverb (used with object)
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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
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has upheldperfect 3rd person singular
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have upheldperfect
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am upholdingprogressive 1st person singular
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have been upholdingperfect progressive
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has been upholdingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are upholdingprogressive
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upholdingparticiple
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is upholdingprogressive 3rd person singular
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upholdssingular 3rd person
Past
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had upheldperfect
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were upholdingprogressive plural
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had been upholdingperfect progressive
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upheldparticiple
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was upholdingprogressive singular
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upheldsimple
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
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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.
Kim echoed this, saying that North Korea would continue to uphold its friendship with China as a top priority and reaffirmed his support for Beijing's "One China" principle.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
That led them to “reject the mandatory statutes, which they regarded as barbaric, but uphold the guided discretion approach.”
From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026
The White House plans to uphold a ceasefire with Iran unless American troops are killed, according to a report.
From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026
This way she could claim to uphold law and order.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026
You certainly wouldn’t expect them to uphold their 80 percent clip.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
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.
