foothold

noun

foot·​hold ˈfu̇t-ˌhōld How to pronounce foothold (audio)
Synonyms of footholdnext
1
: a hold for the feet : footing
2
: a position usable as a base for further advance
The company secured a foothold in the market.

Synonyms of foothold

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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
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.
Microsoft invested its first $1 billion in OpenAI in 2019, providing the software giant with an early foothold in AI, three years before the launch of ChatGPT. — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026 The deal would give Nvidia a major foothold in open-source AI at a moment when open-source developers are increasingly closing the gap with closed systems from companies such as Anthropic and OpenAI. — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026 With Mathys Tel on the left, Richarlison through the middle and Mikey Moore on the right, Tottenham struggled to get a foothold in the game. — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Carefully deferential to the star, Parton carved out a foothold for herself. — Rj Smith, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for foothold

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

Rhymes for foothold

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Browse Nearby Words

foothills yellow pine
foothold
foothook
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Cite this Entry

“Foothold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foothold. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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