hold oneself together
B2 neutral inseparable transitive
In simple words
To stop yourself from breaking down or crying, even when you feel like you can't go on.
Literal meaning: To physically hold the parts of oneself from falling apart — a powerful metaphor for emotional stability.
Meanings
1 B2
idiomatic
neutral
To maintain one's emotional control and continue functioning normally despite being under extreme distress.
"He barely held himself together during the meeting, knowing he'd just received terrible news."
"I held myself together by reminding myself why I was there."
— Widely attested phrasing in memoir writing; comparable expressions in Cheryl Strayed, Wild (2012)
Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes
A reflexive fixed expression. The reflexive pronoun always agrees with the subject: 'I held myself together,' 'she held herself together.' Common in literary writing, memoirs, and emotional conversation. Implies significant internal struggle.
Commonly used with
grief crisis loss interview ceremony trauma barely
Forms
Base
hold oneself together
I/you/we/they
3rd person
holds oneself together
he/she/it
Past simple
held oneself together
yesterday
Past participle
held oneself together
have + pp
-ing form
holding oneself together
continuous
Understand "hold oneself together" better
Try:
Real video examples
Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.
Want to master this phrasal verb?
Practice "hold oneself together" on Looplines