Meaning & use
hold true
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
to remain true or valid; to continue to be the case
Grammar: Usually used with 'for' before the person or thing it applies to: hold true for someone/something.
Patterns
- hold true for someone/something
- still hold true
- hold true in general
The rule holds true for all metals.
What was true in the past may not hold true today.
This advice holds true for students of any age.
phrasefixed phrase
to be correct or accurate in a particular situation
Grammar: Often in negative sentences: 'That does not hold true here.'
Patterns
- not hold true
- hold true that ...
The theory holds true in most cases.
It does not hold true that all rich people are happy.
Common combinations
- still hold true
- The old saying still holds true today.
- hold true for
- The pattern holds true for both boys and girls.
- hold true in
- This rule holds true in every country.
- hold true that
- It holds true that practice improves performance.
Synonyms and how they differ
- remain true
- Remain true is more formal and less common; hold true is the usual phrase in academic and general writing.
- apply
- Apply means to be relevant to a situation; hold true means to be correct and continue to be correct.
- stand
- Stand can mean to remain valid, as in 'the decision stands', but it is used for decisions, not general truths.
Opposites
Commonly confused: hold true or hold true to?
hold true vs hold true to
Hold true to means to remain loyal to a promise or belief, e.g. 'hold true to your word'. Hold true for means to be valid for something.
Practice
The same principle ______ true for smaller companies.
Choose one answer.
The subject 'principle' is singular and the sentence is about a general fact, so 'holds' is correct. 'Hold' is plural and would need a plural subject; 'holding' cannot be the main verb here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hold true”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.