verb
Very common
held
HELD
Held (verb) means the past tense and past participle of hold: to have kept something in your hands or arms, or to have kept it in a position or state. Example: “She held the baby while I found my keys.”
verb
1
The past tense and past participle of hold: to have kept something in your hands or arms, or to have kept it in a position or state.
"She held the baby while I found my keys."
"The bridge has held for two hundred years."
"He held the door open for the woman carrying shopping bags."
2
Used of an event that took place, especially one that was organised: to have been staged or convened.
"The inquiry was held behind closed doors."
"Elections will be held in March."
"The school fair was held in the playground despite the drizzle."
3
Used of an opinion or belief: to have maintained or considered something to be the case.
"The court held that the contract was void."
"He held her responsible for the whole mess."
"My grandmother always held that honesty matters more than money."
How to use held
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe past form of hold — kept, gripped, or organised.
When to use it
Neutral. Very frequent in the passive voice in news and formal writing, where events are held rather than someone holding them.
Memory tip
Note the vowel change: hold, held, held. It behaves like tell, told or sell, sold in pattern but keeps the same form for past and participle.
Common pairings
was held
held hostage
held responsible
held together
widely held
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She _____ the baby while I found my keys.
Rhymes for held
See all rhymes for held →Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of hold?
Held, for both the simple past and the past participle: I held it yesterday, and I have held it since. There is no form holded.
What does it mean when a court held something?
In legal writing, held introduces the ruling itself — the point of law the court decided. It is stronger than said or noted, which usually describe remarks that are not binding.
What is the difference between held and hold in phrases like on hold?
Hold is the base form and the noun, so the fixed phrase is on hold. Held appears in passive constructions instead: my call was held in a queue, the meeting was held on Tuesday.
What is the meaning of held?
"held" (verb) means the past tense and past participle of hold: to have kept something in your hands or arms, or to have kept it in a position or state.
