Meaning & use
upholders
Last updated
UK/ʌpˈhəʊldəz/
US/ʌpˈhoʊldərz/
“upholders” is a form of “upholder”.
Meaning
nouncountable
People who support or defend a rule, law, or belief.
Grammar: Countable noun; singular is 'upholder'. Often followed by 'of'.
Patterns
- upholders of something
- the upholders of the law
The upholders of the tradition met every year.
She was one of the main upholders of the new policy.
Upholders of the law must act fairly.
Word forms
| singular | upholder |
|---|
Common combinations
- upholders of the law
- Judges are upholders of the law.
- upholders of tradition
- They see themselves as upholders of tradition.
- upholders of justice
- The group calls itself upholders of justice.
Synonyms and how they differ
- supporter
- More general; 'upholder' often suggests actively defending rules or principles.
- defender
- Close in meaning but can be used for people as well as ideas.
- guardian
- Suggests protecting something over time; 'upholder' is more about keeping rules or beliefs strong.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: upholders or holder?
upholders vs holder
'Holder' means someone who has or owns something; 'upholder' means someone who supports or defends something.
Practice
The judges are seen as ___ of the law.
Choose one answer.
We need a plural noun for people who defend the law: 'upholders'. 'Holders' means owners, and 'upheld' is a verb form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “upholders”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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