What does "uphold" mean?

1. (to confirm a legal decision) to agree that a previous legal decision was correct and should not be changed. 2. (to maintain a principle) to support or defend a belief, law, or standard that you think is important. 3. (to physically support) to hold something up so that it does not fall down.

How do you use "uphold"?

This verb is transitive and almost always takes a legal decision or verdict as its direct object. Commonly collocates with abstract nouns like 'values', 'standards', 'tradition', or 'the law'.

uphold

US //əpˈhoʊɫd// UK //ʌphˈəʊld// up·hold

Irregular verb past upheld past participle upheld

1 to confirm a legal decision (v.)
C1 Advanced Formal Law

to agree that a previous legal decision was correct and should not be changed.

to confirm or ratify a previous judgement or verdict, typically by a higher court or authority.

Example

The high court decided to uphold the original sentence despite the new evidence.

Example

The appellate court moved to uphold the lower court's ruling, citing a lack of procedural errors during the initial trial.

Usage

This verb is transitive and almost always takes a legal decision or verdict as its direct object.
2 to maintain a principle (v.)
C1 Advanced Formal

to support or defend a belief, law, or standard that you think is important.

to maintain or support a principle, tradition, or law against opposition or decay.

Example

Police officers take an oath to uphold the law and protect the public.

Example

The university remains committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity across all its research departments.

Usage

Commonly collocates with abstract nouns like 'values', 'standards', 'tradition', or 'the law'.

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3 to physically support (v.)
C2 Proficiency Literary Archaic

to hold something up so that it does not fall down.

to provide physical support or to keep something erect.

Example

The old stone pillars uphold the weight of the heavy roof.

Example

Massive oak beams were installed to uphold the crumbling ceiling of the medieval cathedral.

Teacher's tip

In modern English, 'support' or 'hold up' is much more common for physical objects; 'uphold' is now almost exclusively used for abstract or legal concepts.
- support
- prop up
- sustain
- drop
- collapse

Origin

From Middle English upholden, equivalent to up- + hold. Compare Dutch ophouden (“to stop, cease, hold up”), German aufhalten (“to stop, halt, detain”). Compare also Middle Low German upholt, Old Norse upphald (“uphold, support”).