as in base
a place from which an advance (as for military operations) is made don't let the opposing team push us back down the field and gain a foothold

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of foothold Musk’s many businesses, including Tesla, have footholds in both the U.S. and China. Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 Population control, which sadly includes cormorant culls, has allowed the tree canopy to rebound and at-risk plant species to gain a foothold, but cormorant consensus has been difficult to find. Krista Stevens, Longreads, 23 June 2025 For the first time, exoskeleton technology is gaining traction and finding a strong foothold among individuals who want to walk and hike more, but could use that extra little push. Borislav "bobby" Marinov, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 Russell was plenty involved Saturday as Real Salt Lake found a foothold in the game deep into the first half. Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for foothold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foothold
Noun
  • This heady pick is grounded in pink pepper and sugar, laced with cashmere, and dries down to a soft vanilla-sandalwood base.
    Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 15 July 2025
  • This mechanical demand helps establish a more stable base of institutional investors.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • After her first two England camps in charge in September 2021, Wiegman — in the absence of former England captain Steph Houghton — handed Williamson the armband.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 5 July 2025
  • There were 750 attendees at the camp when the flood hit.
    Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2025
Noun
  • Since its launch, the CUDA ecosystem has created an impenetrable fortress of developer lock-in that competitors have failed to breach despite years of effort.
    Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
  • City Hall, Albany—these have been fortresses of political entrenchment for a century.
    Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 25 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foothold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foothold. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on foothold

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!