# hold against

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hold-against
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to let your opinion of someone become worse because of a mistake they made or something they did in the past.

For teachers: to allow a past action or circumstance to negatively influence one's current judgment of a person; typically used in the negative to express forgiveness or fairness.

## Examples

- I made a mistake, but please don't hold it against me.
- Even though he was late for the meeting, the boss didn't hold it against him because of the heavy snow.
- While her previous failure was significant, the committee decided not to hold it against her during the final selection process.

## Pitfalls

- Not "Don't hold against me it." but "Don't hold it against me." — The pronoun 'it' must come between the verb and the preposition in this structure.

## Usage notes

- The thing being blamed (the object) usually goes between 'hold' and 'against'.
- Teaching tip: This is almost always used with 'it' or a specific action as the direct object, and often appears in the negative ('don't hold it against them').

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.