UPHOLDING Synonyms: 139 Similar and Opposite Words

upholding 1 of 2

noun

as in respect

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

upholding

2 of 2

verb

present participle of uphold

as in defending

to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections determined to uphold her views in the face of all challenges

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sustaining

to hold up or serve as a foundation for an entablature upheld by a series of gracefully slender columns

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in lifting

to move from a lower to a higher place or position worshippers upheld their joined hands and sang the praises of the Lord

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 upholding

Noun

Service, intentionally or not, leaves a wide, wild path for a person to project onto the journey, the setting, the suffering of discomforts, the upholding of promise, their close relationship. — Literary Hub, 17 June 2026 Protecting judges, prosecutors, public defenders, and court staff is fundamental to guaranteeing access to justice, judicial independence, and the upholding of the democratic order. — Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026 In addition, the NFL alleged that the report card surveys interfered with the union’s upholding of Article 39, Section 5, which mandates that the league and union jointly conduct an anonymous survey at least once every three years regarding players’ opinions on medical care and staff. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026

Verb

God has created and knows only the spiritual universe, in which divine law reigns and rules, upholding all that is good and true. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026 Banchi Hanuse works across film and radio as a co-founder of Nuxalk Radio, supporting Nuxalk language revitalization, upholding Nuxalk Nationhood and advocating for stewardship of Nuxalk homelands. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2026 At the center of northern Nigeria's strict religious code is the local Islamic police, known as the Hisbah force, whose personnel are tasked with upholding public morals across some of the region's 19 states. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 During the May 21 vote, many board members lamented that their hands were tied by state law and a 3rd District Appellate Court ruling upholding the state’s solar siting regulations. — Alicia Fabbre, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026 His appeals were rejected in 2016 by a Supreme Court decision upholding the death penalty. — CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026 In December, the tribunal issued its final judgment in The Hague—a symbolic choice given the city’s role as a center of international justice—upholding the charge of gender persecution. — Rina Amiri, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026 The county executive’s chartered responsibilities include overseeing the county’s municipal departments, correcting errors in tax assessments, executing certain contracts, upholding the county charter and representing the county in general. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026 There are plenty of people who don't agree with the NCAA upholding a suspension, and the Tennessee administration is high on the list. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for upholding

Noun

The latter quickly earned respect in the NFL, scoring three touchdowns in six games as a rookie with the Miami Dolphins, before eventually latching on with the Colts in 2024.

— James Boyd, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
With all due respect to Han Solo, anyone who’s listened to Ford speak about his two most iconic roles knows Indy holds a particularly special place in his heart.

— Frank DeRuggiero, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of respect

Verb

Hochul has made that argument in defending New York’s law, saying local officers should remain focused on investigating crimes rather than using state and local resources to perform ICE’s work.

— María Luisa Paúl, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
But by defending in this way, Chelsea are giving smart opponents the advantage in the battle for possession.

— Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of defending

Verb

More than any position group, the Terps’ weakness right now is just sustaining success – for a full season or even a full 60 minutes in big games.

— Noah Trister, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Ariana Grande will take the stage in London tonight in comfortable footwear rather than her signature heels after sustaining a minor injury.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of sustaining

Noun

For journalists, practicing deference and yielding authority are necessary steps when repairing relationships in communities that have experienced historical harm.

— Danielle K. Brown, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026
The president, himself a billionaire, has described his inclination toward appointing the ultrawealthy as deference to financial success.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of deference

Verb

The few remaining workers maintaining the plant, however, received those benefits upon ratification.

— Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Icelandic voters rejected the measure amid widespread concern over maintaining control over fishing rights, a backbone of the country’s economy.

— Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of maintaining

Verb

The Moon trines your ruler Mercury in your sign, supporting careful edits, useful explanations, and conversations that stay on track.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 2 Sep. 2026
In a declaration supporting their complaint, Becker noted that California is mulling a bill, SB 813, that would establish a process where independent organizations would set baselines for AI safety standards.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of supporting

Verb

Defense attorneys in both cases argued that the defendants’ intent was in question, raising in argument the possibility that their clients were not trying to cause serious bodily injury or death.

— Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
Enacting a solution is liable to be a significant political battle, likely involving cutting benefits for some Americans or raising taxes on higher earners, or both.

— Ashley Lopez, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of raising

Browse Nearby Words

uphold

upholding

upholds

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Upholding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upholding. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of upholding

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes