# upholding

/əpˈhoʊɫdɪŋ/ (US) · /ʌphˈəʊldɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/upholding
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

to support or defend a law, a decision, or a principle so that it stays in place. You use this when a higher authority agrees that a previous choice was correct.

For teachers: to maintain, support, or confirm a previous decision or law, especially against a challenge. Transitive; frequently used in legal contexts where a higher court affirms the ruling of a lower court.

## Examples

- The judge decided to uphold the original sentence.
- After reviewing the evidence, the committee voted to uphold the ban on single-use plastics in the city.
- The supreme court eventually chose to uphold the lower court's ruling, effectively cementing the legal precedent for future civil rights cases across the country.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The court upheld to the decision." but "The court upheld the decision." — Uphold is a transitive verb and does not take the preposition 'to' before its object.

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive and requires a direct object, such as a law, decision, or tradition.

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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.