1 A2 neutral
For a physical object to remain intact and not break apart
"The old suitcase barely held together on the long flight."
separable
hold together
B1 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To remain united, intact, or coherent, or to cause something to stay that way
In plain English
Stay in one piece, or keep a group or plan from falling apart
What does "hold together" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To keep a group of people united or functioning during a difficult time
"It was her calm leadership that held the team together during the crisis."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
For an argument, plan, or story to be logically consistent and convincing
"The theory sounds interesting, but it doesn't quite hold together under scrutiny."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To grip multiple pieces so they stay joined
Actually means
Stay in one piece, or keep a group or plan from falling apart
Usage tip
Used for physical objects (glue holds the pieces together), groups of people (she held the team together), and abstract things like arguments or plans (the story barely holds together).
Words that pair with "hold together"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
team coalition argument structure plan family
How to conjugate "hold together"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
hold together
I/you/we/they
3rd person
holds together
he/she/it
Past simple
held together
yesterday
Past participle
held together
have + pp
-ing form
holding together
continuous
Hear "hold together" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "hold together" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "hold together"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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