Phrasal verb
hole up
Informal
Definition
phr.v. to stay in a safe place for a long time, often because you are hiding or want to be alone.
phr.v. to remain in a secure or secluded location for an extended period, typically to avoid discovery or unpleasant conditions.
Examples
“We had to hole up in a cabin during the snowstorm.”
“The robbers holed up in an abandoned warehouse while the police searched the city.”
“The author holed up in a remote cottage for three months to finish her manuscript without any digital distractions.”
Examples
simple
“We had to hole up in a cabin during the snowstorm.”
contextual
“The robbers holed up in an abandoned warehouse while the police searched the city.”
complex
“The author holed up in a remote cottage for three months to finish her manuscript without any digital distractions.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “hole up” in context.
Verb
01. decide to hole up
“We decided to hole up in the library until we finished our final project.”
verb + infinitive
02. force to hole up
“The heavy rain forced them to hole up in a small mountain cabin for the night.”
verb + noun + infinitive
03. hole up and wait
“The hikers decided to hole up and wait for the blizzard to pass.”
verb + and + verb
04. hole up in a hotel
“The celebrity holed up in a luxury hotel to avoid the paparazzi.”
verb + prep + adj + noun
Adverb
05. quietly hole up
“She spent the weekend quietly holed up in her apartment with a good book.”
adv + verb
06. safely hole up
“The soldiers managed to safely hole up in the bunker before the shelling began.”
adv + verb
Usage
This is an intransitive phrasal verb and does not take a direct object.
Teaching tip
the verb 'hole' evokes the image of an animal retreating into a burrow for safety, which helps students remember the sense of hiding or seeking shelter.
While the literal origin refers to animals in holes, in modern English it almost always refers to people seeking privacy or safety.
Etymology
From hole + up. Attested from the 19th century.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
hole + up (+ in/at + object)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
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englishreference.com/q/hole-up