AAAmerican Accent US

hold out

Both

Sense-dependent: some meanings take an object and split, others take none. Check the sense you mean.

How to say it

Stress the particle, not the verb: hold OUT. Saying “HOLD out” is the clearest learner tell — the verb stays light and the particle carries the beat.

Link across the gap. The final /d/ of “hold” moves onto the particle and starts its syllable: “hold out” is said “hol-dout”. Pausing between the words is what makes phrasal verbs sound recited rather than spoken.

2 meanings

  1. 1

    To resist or survive longer than expected.

    • “The supplies won't hold out much longer.”
    • “They held out for a better offer.”

    Similar: last, endure

  2. 2

    To extend your hand or an object toward someone.

    • “She held out her hand and he shook it.”

    Similar: extend

The particle logic

out

Something exits a container, becomes visible, or is exhausted.

Listen + practice

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More HOLD phrasal verbs

Compare the whole family →

hold on

To wait a moment.

hold up

To delay someone or something.

hold back

To restrain someone or something.

hold off

To delay doing something.

hold down

To keep a job over a period of time.

hold onto

To keep possession of something.

hold out — meaning, examples & how to say it