VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

beholden

adjective·Academicformalold-fashioned

Last updated

UK/bɪˈhəʊldən/
US/bɪˈhoʊldən/

Meanings

  1. adjectiveafter a verbformal

    Owing a debt of thanks or duty to someone because of help or a favor received.

    Grammar: Used after a verb, usually be or feel, and followed by to: she felt beholden to her uncle; not 'a beholden man'.

    Patterns

    • beholden to someone
    • feel beholden to someone
    • be beholden to someone for something

    After the loan, he felt deeply beholden to his brother.

    She did not want to be beholden to anyone for her success.

    The candidate says she is beholden to voters, not to donors.

  2. adjectiveafter a verbdisapproving

    Under the control or influence of a person or group because of money or support they have given.

    Grammar: Often has a critical tone in politics and business: the senator is beholden to special interests.

    Patterns

    • beholden to interests

    The company is beholden to a single large customer.

    Critics say the mayor is beholden to developers.

    A free press must not be beholden to advertisers.

Common combinations

beholden to someone
He refused to be beholden to anyone.
feel beholden
I feel beholden to them for their kindness.
beholden to special interests
Voters worry that politicians are beholden to special interests.
beholden to donors
The party is beholden to its biggest donors.
remain beholden
As long as we take their money we remain beholden.

Synonyms and how they differ

indebted
Indebted is more neutral and often means grateful, while beholden also hints at being under someone's influence.
obliged
Obliged emphasizes a duty to repay a kindness, and it is the polite word in thanks, while beholden sounds heavier.
obligated
Obligated stresses a formal or moral duty, but beholden suggests a personal debt of gratitude or power.
answerable
Answerable means required to explain your actions to someone, whereas beholden means you owe them favor or loyalty.

Opposites

independentfree

Word family

behold verb
to see or look at something, literary
beholder noun
a person who looks at something
beholding noun
the act of seeing (rare)

Commonly confused: beholden or behold?

beholden vs behold

Behold is an old-style command to look at something, but beholden is an adjective about owing a debt.

Practice

The artist did not want to be _____ to any single sponsor, so she accepted small gifts from many people.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “beholden”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words