# hold down

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hold-down
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to manage to keep a job for a long time, especially when you have to work hard to do so.

For teachers: To maintain steady employment in a specific role or position. Transitive; typically collocates with 'job', 'position', or 'post'.

## Examples

- He finds it difficult to hold down a job for more than a month.
- Despite her health issues, she managed to hold down a part-time job while finishing her degree.
- The candidate's inability to hold down a position for more than six months raised significant concerns during the interview process.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He can't keep down a job." but "He can't hold down a job." — Learners often confuse 'hold down' with 'keep down', but the latter is used for food or controlling prices.

## Usage notes

- This phrase is almost exclusively used with objects related to employment like 'job' or 'role'.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'keep down', which is used for food or prices, to help students avoid lexical confusion.

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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.