foothold

noun

foot·​hold ˈfu̇t-ˌhōld How to pronounce foothold (audio)
1
: a hold for the feet : footing
2
: a position usable as a base for further advance

Examples of foothold in a Sentence

The army gained a foothold on the island. The company has secured a foothold in the market.
Recent Examples on the Web Ba, 40, was deported from the U.S. with 131 compatriots in September after two months in detention, but thousands of other Senegalese have gained a foothold in America. Baba Ahmed, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2024 With its scale and foothold across the U.S., Walmart may be able to expand Vizio’s reach, giving it a better ability to target consumers in their living rooms and bedrooms. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2024 Through its Georgian production arm, the company can offer British producers an experienced co-production partner with a foothold on the continent and access to E.U. financing schemes. Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 18 Feb. 2024 Apple debuted a new sports app Wednesday (Feb. 21) — firming its foothold in the lucrative live sports streaming market. Laura Bratton, Quartz, 21 Feb. 2024 Since then, the mosquitoes that transmit the dengue viruses have been expanding their habitats and establishing new geographic footholds, and the U.S. is now firmly among them. Stephen J. Thomas, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024 Russia is trying to encircle and capture Avdiivka nearly two years after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Kyiv’s foothold in the town appears increasingly shaky, with its supply lines threatened. Reuters, NBC News, 15 Feb. 2024 My first job in media was as an assistant at The American Prospect, a small political magazine in Washington, D.C., that offered a promising foothold in journalism. Clare Malone, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2024 Previously:Carbon capture is gaining a foothold in Indiana. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foothold.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foothold was circa 1577

Dictionary Entries Near foothold

Cite this Entry

“Foothold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foothold. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

foothold

noun
foot·​hold -ˌhōld How to pronounce foothold (audio)
1
: a hold for the feet : footing
2
: a position usable as a base for further advance

More from Merriam-Webster on foothold

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