Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense upholds, present participle upholding, past tense, past participle upheld
1. verb
If you uphold something such as a law, a principle, or a decision, you support and maintain it.
Our policy has been to uphold the law. [VERB noun]
It is the responsibility of every government to uphold certain basic principles. [VERB noun]
...upholding the artist's right to creative freedom. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: support, back, defend, aid More Synonyms of uphold
2. verb
If a court of law upholds a legal decision that has already been made, it decides that it was the correct decision.
The crown court, however, upheld the magistrate's decision. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: confirm, support, sustain, endorse More Synonyms of uphold
uphold in British English
(ʌpˈhəʊld)
verbWord forms: -holds, -holding or -held(transitive)
1.
to maintain, affirm, or defend against opposition or challenge
2.
to give moral support or inspiration to
3. rare
to support physically
4.
to lift up
Derived forms
upholder (upˈholder)
noun
uphold in American English
(ʌpˈhoʊld)
verb transitiveWord forms: upˈheld or upˈholding
1.
to hold up; raise
2.
to keep from falling; support
3.
to give moral or spiritual support or encouragement to
4.
to decide in favor of; agree with and support against opposition; sustain
SIMILAR WORDS: supˈport
Derived forms
upholder (upˈholder)
noun
Examples of 'uphold' in a sentence
uphold
This requires that the public and lawmakers have confidence that those entrusted to uphold the law will comply with it themselves, both on and off duty.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The opposing view contends that the first duty of a government is to uphold the law.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It is powerless unless public opinion and government uphold it.
Peter F. Drucker MANAGING IN TURBULENT TIMES (1980)
This does not mean that all voluntary affirmative action programs will be upheld by the courts.
Tompkins, Jonathan Human Resource Management in Government (1995)
The court upheld the fines but told the appeal court judges to reconsider the damages.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
When he took on his position he undertook to uphold the law without fear or favour.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Judges need to uphold the law properly.
The Sun (2015)
How can they uphold the law if they have criminal convictions themselves?
The Sun (2011)
In a surprise, the court upheld it.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
An appeal court upheld 237 of the convictions.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
That can be done by upholding the laws, punishing the diver and his team.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The promises made by Freemasons bind them to uphold the law of the land in which they are currently residing.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
WHEN is the Government going to uphold the laws of this country?
The Sun (2014)
Three appeal court judges upheld the conviction in 2000, but their judgment contains important factual errors.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
By'turn nasty' he means uphold the law of the land.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In recent years they have been upheld by the courts in certain circumstances, but couples cannot know with any certainty that this will be the case.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
You can turn up to work naked for all I care, and the law would uphold your right.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In other languages
uphold
British English: uphold VERB
If you uphold something such as a law, a principle, or a decision, you support and maintain it.
Our policy has been to uphold the law.
American English: uphold
Brazilian Portuguese: defender
Chinese: 维护
European Spanish: sostener
French: faire respecter
German: wahren
Italian: difendere
Japanese: 支持する
Korean: 법 원칙 등을 유지하다
European Portuguese: defender
Latin American Spanish: sostener
Chinese translation of 'uphold'
uphold
(ʌpˈhəuld)
Word forms:ptppupheld
vt
[law, principle, decision]维(維)护(護) (wéihù)
1 (verb)
Definition
to give moral support to
upholding the artist's right to creative freedom
Synonyms
support
He supported the hardworking people.
back
He is backed by the civic movement.
defend
The members of the committee strongly defended their decision.
aid
a software system to aid managers in decision-making
champion
He passionately championed the poor.
encourage
Their task is to encourage private investment in Russia.
maintain
promote
His country will do everything possible to promote peace.
sustain
The magnets have lost the capacity to sustain the weight.
advocate
They advocate fewer government controls on business.
stand by
stick up for (informal)
2 (verb)
Definition
to maintain or defend against opposition
The crown court upheld the magistrate's decision.
Synonyms
confirm
Mrs Suarez is due to be confirmed as President on Friday.
support
The evidence does not support the argument.
sustain
The court sustained his objection.
endorse
I can endorse this statement wholeheartedly.
approve
MPs approved the bill by a majority of 97.
justify
This decision was fully justified by economic conditions.
hold to
ratify
They have yet to ratify the treaty.
vindicate
Subsequent events vindicated his policy.
validate
The evidence has been validated by historians.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of advocate
Definition
to recommend a course of action publicly
They advocate fewer government controls on business.
Synonyms
recommend,
support,
champion,
encourage,
propose,
favour,
defend,
promote,
urge,
advise,
justify,
endorse,
campaign for,
prescribe,
speak for,
uphold,
press for,
argue for,
commend,
plead for,
espouse,
countenance,
hold a brief for (informal)
in the sense of aid
Definition
to help financially or in other ways
a software system to aid managers in decision-making
Synonyms
help,
second,
support,
serve,
sustain,
assist,
relieve,
avail,
subsidize,
abet,
succour,
be of service to,
lend a hand to,
give a leg up to (informal)
in the sense of approve
Definition
to authorize or agree to
MPs approved the bill by a majority of 97.
Synonyms
agree to,
second,
allow,
pass,
accept,
confirm,
recommend,
permit,
sanction,
advocate,
bless,
endorse,
uphold,
mandate,
authorize,
ratify,
go along with,
subscribe to,
consent to,
buy into (informal),
validate,
countenance,
rubber stamp,
accede to,
give the go-ahead to (informal),
give the green light to,
assent to,
concur in,
greenlight,
O.K. or okay (informal)
Synonyms of 'uphold'
uphold
Explore 'uphold' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of back
He is backed by the civic movement.
Synonyms
support,
help,
second,
aid,
champion,
encourage,
favour,
defend,
promote,
sanction,
sustain,
assist,
advocate,
endorse,
side with,
stand up for,
espouse,
stand behind,
countenance,
abet,
stick up for (informal),
take up the cudgels for
in the sense of champion
Definition
to support
He passionately championed the poor.
Synonyms
support,
back,
defend,
promote,
advocate,
fight for,
uphold,
espouse,
stick up for (informal),
endorse
in the sense of defend
Definition
to support in the face of criticism
The members of the committee strongly defended their decision.
Synonyms
support,
champion,
justify,
maintain,
sustain,
plead for,
endorse,
assert,
stand by,
uphold,
vindicate,
stand up for,
espouse,
speak up for,
stick up for (informal)
in the sense of encourage
Definition
to stimulate (something or someone) by approval or help
Their task is to encourage private investment in Russia.
Synonyms
promote,
back,
help,
support,
increase,
further,
aid,
forward,
advance,
favour,
boost,
strengthen,
foster,
advocate,
stimulate,
endorse,
commend,
succour
in the sense of endorse
Definition
to give approval or support to
I can endorse this statement wholeheartedly.
Synonyms
approve,
back,
support,
champion,
favour,
promote,
recommend,
sanction,
sustain,
advocate,
warrant,
prescribe,
uphold,
authorize,
ratify,
affirm,
approve of,
subscribe to,
espouse,
vouch for,
throw your weight behind
in the sense of justify
Definition
to defend (an action) as being warranted
This decision was fully justified by economic conditions.
Synonyms
explain,
support,
warrant,
bear out,
legitimize,
establish,
maintain,
confirm,
defend,
approve,
excuse,
sustain,
uphold,
acquit,
vindicate,
validate,
substantiate,
exonerate,
legalize,
absolve,
exculpate
in the sense of maintain
Definition
to defend against contradiction
Synonyms
support,
back,
champion,
defend,
justify,
advocate,
fight for,
stand by,
uphold,
argue for,
vindicate,
plead for,
take up the cudgels for
in the sense of promote
Definition
to work for
His country will do everything possible to promote peace.
Synonyms
help,
back,
support,
further,
develop,
aid,
forward,
champion,
encourage,
advance,
work for,
urge,
boost,
recommend,
sponsor,
foster,
contribute to,
assist,
advocate,
stimulate,
endorse,
prescribe,
speak for,
nurture,
push for,
espouse,
popularize,
gee up
in the sense of ratify
Definition
to give formal approval to
They have yet to ratify the treaty.
Synonyms
approve,
sign,
establish,
confirm,
bind,
sanction,
endorse,
uphold,
authorize,
affirm,
certify,
consent to,
validate,
bear out,
corroborate,
authenticate
in the sense of sustain
Definition
to support (something) from below
The magnets have lost the capacity to sustain the weight.
Synonyms
support,
carry,
bear,
keep up,
uphold,
keep from falling
Additional synonyms
in the sense of sustain
Definition
to support or agree with (a decision or statement)
The court sustained his objection.
Synonyms
uphold,
confirm,
endorse,
approve,
ratify,
verify,
validate
in the sense of validate
Definition
to prove (a claim or statement) to be true or correct