1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To subject something to critical examination or comparison in order to test its quality or validity
"Let's hold this proposal up to the standards we agreed on last month."
separable
hold up to
B2 neutral separable transitive
To subject something to scrutiny, comparison, or testing, or to withstand such scrutiny
In plain English
Check something carefully to see if it is good enough, or survive being checked
What does "hold up to" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To remain valid, convincing, or intact when subjected to scrutiny or testing
"The witness's alibi simply didn't hold up to close questioning."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To physically lift something up toward something else for inspection
Actually means
Check something carefully to see if it is good enough, or survive being checked
Usage tip
Commonly appears in academic, journalistic, and legal contexts. Often followed by 'scrutiny', 'examination', or 'comparison'. The structure 'does it hold up to scrutiny?' is especially frequent.
Words that pair with "hold up to"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
scrutiny examination comparison the light analysis questioning
How to conjugate "hold up to"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
hold up to
I/you/we/they
3rd person
holds up to
he/she/it
Past simple
held up to
yesterday
Past participle
held up to
have + pp
-ing form
holding up to
continuous
Hear "hold up to" in the wild
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Other ways to say "hold up to"
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