# hold with

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

to agree with or approve of an idea, habit, or way of doing things.

For teachers: to subscribe to or approve of a particular principle or practice; almost exclusively used in negative constructions or interrogatives.

## Examples

- I don't hold with all this modern technology.
- My grandmother doesn't hold with children staying up past eight o'clock on school nights.
- The local council does not hold with the proposed expansion of the industrial zone, citing environmental concerns and traffic congestion.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I don't hold with to eat meat." but "I don't hold with eating meat." — the preposition 'with' must be followed by a noun or a gerund (-ing form), not an infinitive.

## Usage notes

- usually used with 'don't' or 'doesn't' to show disapproval.
- Teaching tip: this is a great example of a 'negative polarity' item; it is rarely used in positive statements like 'I hold with that', making it a good study in natural collocations.

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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.