Meaning & use

upheld

verb·Academic

Confirmed or supported a decision, law, or principle, especially against a challenge; past tense of uphold.

See it in a sentence

The appeals court upheld the original verdict after reviewing all the evidence.

She upheld her promise to volunteer every weekend, even during the busiest months.

A note on using this word

Upheld is used mainly in legal and formal contexts to describe a ruling or standard that was confirmed rather than changed.

Words with a similar meaning

affirmedmaintainedsustained

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

overturnedrejected

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