as in base
a place from which an advance (as for military operations) is made
don't let the opposing team push us back down the field and gain a foothold
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of foothold
Yellow nutsedge may be the worst one that could gain a foothold.
—
Markis Hill,
Kansas City Star,
28 June 2026
Ignoring Weeds While many garden plants grow more slowly in hot weather, some weeds are undaunted by heat and use hot spells to gain a foothold in gardens.
—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 June 2026
And France still had a major continental foothold in Louisiana, together with its hugely profitable sugar islands in the Caribbean.
—
David Armitage,
Washington Post,
26 June 2026
By the time authorities officially declared an outbreak in May, the virus had already gained a foothold.
—
Greg Dixon,
NPR,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for foothold
Markis Hill,
Kansas City Star,
28 June 2026
Ignoring Weeds While many garden plants grow more slowly in hot weather, some weeds are undaunted by heat and use hot spells to gain a foothold in gardens.
—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 June 2026
And France still had a major continental foothold in Louisiana, together with its hugely profitable sugar islands in the Caribbean.
—
David Armitage,
Washington Post,
26 June 2026
By the time authorities officially declared an outbreak in May, the virus had already gained a foothold.
—
Greg Dixon,
NPR,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for foothold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foothold
Noun
-
The Nationals allowed 10 consecutive batters to reach base, eight of them via hits, including three extra-base hits and the two pivotal home runs.
-
Arraez finished the at-bat and flied out to left field, jogging gingerly down the first-base line.
Noun
-
In 2015, he was charged in Amador County in connection with a strip poker game at a youth camp, ultimately pleading no contest two years later to providing alcohol to a minor.
-
Some of them have been training together for nearly two months because Aguirre arranged a monthlong training camp ahead of the World Cup.
Noun
-
Alexander the Great conquered it in 332 BCE after building a causeway to what had been considered an impregnable island fortress.
-
Some, like France's Maginot Line, became border fortresses stretching for miles, while German coastal defenses sat on the cliffs of Normandy, requiring the Allies to take out with sea bombardments and direct infantry assaults.
Cite this Entry
“Foothold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foothold. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
