verb

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

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."

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."

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."

How to Use Held

Learner’s notes

In 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

Weld meld

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.