working to hold

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "working to hold" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing efforts or actions aimed at maintaining or securing something. Example: "The team is working to hold the project together despite the challenges they face."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

The Congressional race, which includes most of Cincinnati and several suburbs and townships, offers a laboratory on how Democrats are working to hold their majority in the House.

The New York Times

Republicans have been working to hold down the number of retirements before the 2008 elections, when they will try to regain the majority they lost in 2006.

The New York Times

"We wanted to give the people working to hold the Anglican Communion together a useful tool to help them do that," he added.

The New York Times

Meanwhile Unison's general secretary, Dave Prentis, said the trade union would be working to hold the leave campaigners to the promises they have made – that there will be more money for the NHS, and that workers' rights will remain intact.

The Guardian

The American ambassador to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, said Monday that government and international officials were still working to hold both presidential and parliamentary elections in Afghanistan in June or shortly after.

The New York Times

The speech seemed to resonate with the soldiers assembled in the graveyard, who are working to hold together this fractious city after so many years of anarchy and death.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

Mr. Bush said he, too, would work to hold the spending increase to what he proposed.

The New York Times

Mrs. Clinton said that the United States and others would work to hold "these pirate criminals" accountable.

The New York Times

"I think Kitezh is like a fairy tale," he said, adding, "You need to work to hold this beauty".

The New York Times

Edward Skyler, the deputy mayor for operations, said the administration has worked to hold down those costs where possible.

The New York Times

This means that it could work to hold off on propranolol or other drug therapy until recurring problems develop.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "working to hold" when you want to emphasize ongoing effort and active engagement in maintaining a position or state. It's particularly effective when describing collaborative endeavors or persistent attempts to prevent change.

Common error

Avoid using "working to hold" in overly passive constructions. For example, instead of "Progress is expected while working to hold standards", prefer "Teams are working to hold standards and achieve progress".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "working to hold" primarily functions as a verbal phrase, often part of a larger clause describing an ongoing action or effort. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically sound and usable. It highlights the active and continuous nature of striving to maintain or secure something, as seen in the examples provided.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

72%

Science

16%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "working to hold" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe the active and ongoing effort to maintain, secure, or restrain something. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is versatile enough for various contexts, from news and media to science and formal business. While alternatives like "striving to maintain" or "endeavoring to secure" exist, "working to hold" effectively conveys the idea of continuous effort and intent. It is important to consider the context and avoid overly passive constructions to ensure clarity and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

striving to maintain

Focuses on the effort being made to keep something in its current state.

endeavoring to secure

Highlights the attempt to obtain or ensure something.

attempting to retain

Emphasizes the effort to keep possession of something.

making efforts to sustain

Highlights the active steps taken to prolong or support something.

trying to preserve

Focuses on protecting something from harm or change.

seeking to safeguard

Emphasizes the proactive measures to protect something valuable.

laboring to control

Focuses on the hard work involved in managing or restraining something.

exerting effort to confine

Highlights the use of energy to keep something within limits.

aiming to restrain

Emphasizes the intention to keep something under control.

striving for containment

Focuses on the overall goal of preventing something from spreading or escalating.

FAQs

How can I use "working to hold" in a sentence?

You can use "working to hold" to describe efforts to maintain a position, control a situation, or keep something together. For instance, "The team is "working to hold" the project together despite the challenges."

What are some alternatives to "working to hold"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "striving to maintain", "endeavoring to secure", or "attempting to retain".

Is "working to hold" grammatically correct?

Yes, "working to hold" is grammatically correct. It uses the present participle of "work" followed by the infinitive form of "hold". Ludwig AI confirms this.

What's the difference between "working to hold" and "trying to hold"?

"Working to hold" often implies a sustained effort or ongoing process, while "trying to hold" suggests a more immediate or experimental attempt. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize continuous effort or a simple attempt.