Word
behold
Phoneticsbe·hold, stress on the second syllable
US/bɪˈhoʊɫd/
UK/bɪhˈəʊld/
Definition
v. to look at or see something that is very impressive or beautiful. It is a more poetic way of saying 'look'.
v. to observe or gaze upon something, typically of remarkable interest or impressive nature. Often carries a literary or archaic tone in modern usage.
Examples
“Behold the beauty of the sunrise over the mountains.”
“The travelers stood in silence to behold the ancient ruins for the first time.”
“To behold the sheer scale of the cathedral is to understand the architectural ambition of the era, as every stone seems to defy the gravity of its own weight.”
Examples
simple
“Behold the beauty of the sunrise over the mountains.”
contextual
“The travelers stood in silence to behold the ancient ruins for the first time.”
complex
“To behold the sheer scale of the cathedral is to understand the architectural ambition of the era, as every stone seems to defy the gravity of its own weight.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object; it is rarely used in casual conversation, appearing mostly in literature or formal oratory.
Real-World Examples
“But aside from the renaming controversy ( it will always and forever be Lake Ontario ), the smallest of the Great Lakes remains a stunning sight to behold.” “From meteor showers to a November supermoon, there are a number of impressive sights to behold in the autumn night sky.” Etymology
From Middle English biholden, from Old English behealdan (“to hold, possess, preserve, belong, keep, observe, look at, take care, beware, be cautious, restrain, act, behave”), from Proto-West Germanic *bihaldan (“to hold with, keep”), equivalent to be- + hold. Cognate with Saterland Frisian behoolde (“to keep”), Dutch behouden (“to keep, restrain, preserve”), German behalten (“to keep, restrain, remember”), Danish and Norwegian beholde (“to keep”) and Swedish behålla (“to keep”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Idioms
01. sight to behold
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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