foothold

noun

foot·​hold ˈfu̇t-ˌhōld How to pronounce foothold (audio)
1
: a hold for the feet : footing
2
: a position usable as a base for further advance

Examples of foothold in a Sentence

The army gained a foothold on the island. The company has secured a foothold in the market.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The former recently offered the ability to integrate its chatbot Claude into Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Calendar—gaining a foothold in an existing tech ecosystem rather than building anew. Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 22 Apr. 2025 China does not want external powers, particularly in the West, to gain a foothold in Myanmar and thereby challenge Beijing’s regional dominance. Ye Myo Hein, Foreign Affairs, 17 Apr. 2025 The loopholes in the judiciary system, along with failure in integration, are reasons criminal gangs have gained a foothold in Sweden, Salihu suggests. Li-Lian Ahlskog Hou, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2025 Going into the competition, military officials set aside seven additional missions to launch with a third provider, allowing a new player to gain a foothold in the market. ArsTechnica, 5 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foothold

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foothold was circa 1577

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Cite this Entry

“Foothold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foothold. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

foothold

noun
foot·​hold -ˌhōld How to pronounce foothold (audio)
1
: a hold for the feet : footing
2
: a position usable as a base for further advance

More from Merriam-Webster on foothold

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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