behold
verb
be·hold bi-ˈhōld 
bē-
beheld bi-ˈheld
bē-
; beholding transitive verb
1
: to perceive through sight or apprehension : see
2
: to gaze upon : observe
It was a pleasure to behold the beauty of the sunset.
The enormous crowd was a sight to behold.
intransitive verb
—used in the imperative especially to call attention
beholder noun
Synonyms
- appreciate
- apprehend
- assimilate
- catch
- catch on (to)
- cognize
- compass
- comprehend
- conceive
- cotton (to or on to)
- decipher
- decode
- dig
- discern
- get
- grasp
- grok
- intuit
- know
- make
- make out
- perceive
- recognize
- register
- savvy
- see
- seize
- sense
- tumble (to)
- twig
- understand
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Those who have beheld the beauty of the desert never forget it. to anyone who beholds the immense complexity of life on earth
Recent Examples on the Web Like the rest of the property, the hotel’s restaurant Between The Trees is beautiful to behold with a lively open kitchen and ample options for indoor and outdoor dining. —
Katie Chang, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2023 Travelers have visited Toyama Bay to behold the otherworldly spring squid harvest for hundreds of years. —Lauren Oster, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Jan. 2023 Wine is a beautiful thing to behold on so many levels. —Hugh Garvey, Sunset Magazine, 7 Dec. 2022 Meanwhile, the location shoot’s subzero temperatures were something to behold. —Tomris Laffly, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2023 Their inventiveness and grit in the realm of self-discipline is something to behold. —Jamie Kreiner, Time, 5 Jan. 2023 Kevin McCarthy's face - while Matt Gaetz nominates Jim Jordan (who just nominated McCarthy) - is something to behold. —Rafi Schwartz, The Week, 3 Jan. 2023 Enter the plain country-church exteriors to behold glorious chambers. —Robin Soslow, Chron, 14 Jan. 2023 Kids can dig for fossils, play with dinosaur babies and behold the king of dinosaurs: a Tyrannosaurus rex. —John Coffren, Baltimore Sun, 12 Jan. 2023 See More
Katie Chang, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2023 Travelers have visited Toyama Bay to behold the otherworldly spring squid harvest for hundreds of years. —Lauren Oster, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Jan. 2023 Wine is a beautiful thing to behold on so many levels. —Hugh Garvey, Sunset Magazine, 7 Dec. 2022 Meanwhile, the location shoot’s subzero temperatures were something to behold. —Tomris Laffly, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2023 Their inventiveness and grit in the realm of self-discipline is something to behold. —Jamie Kreiner, Time, 5 Jan. 2023 Kevin McCarthy's face - while Matt Gaetz nominates Jim Jordan (who just nominated McCarthy) - is something to behold. —Rafi Schwartz, The Week, 3 Jan. 2023 Enter the plain country-church exteriors to behold glorious chambers. —Robin Soslow, Chron, 14 Jan. 2023 Kids can dig for fossils, play with dinosaur babies and behold the king of dinosaurs: a Tyrannosaurus rex. —John Coffren, Baltimore Sun, 12 Jan. 2023 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, to keep, behold, from Old English behealdan, from be- + healdan to hold
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Phrases Containing behold
Kids Definition
behold
verb be·hold bi-ˈhōld
beheld -ˌheld ; beholding
; beholding : to look upon : see
beholder noun
beholds
verb
1
as in knows
to have a clear idea of to anyone who beholds the immense complexity of life on earth Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- knows
- understands
- sees
- comprehends
- recognizes
- deciphers
- grasps
- appreciates
- perceives
- discerns
- conceives
- realizes
- apprehends
- senses
- gets
- intuits
- cognizes
- assimilates
- seizes
- makes
- decodes
- catches
- registers
- twigs
- digs
- groks
- makes out
- absorbs
- savvies
- picks up on
- catches on (to)
- compasses
- tumbles (to)
- penetrates
- fathoms
- cottons (to or on to)
- digests
- pierces
- takes in
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- misses
- misunderstands
- misconstrues
- misinterprets
- misconceives
- misreads
- misapprehends
- mistakes
- misperceives
2
as in sees
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes I opened the window blinds and beheld snow everywhere Synonyms & Similar Words
- sees
- notices
- eyes
- spots
- perceives
- regards
- discerns
- observes
- views
- espies
- sights
- watches
- remarks
- spies
- witnesses
- distinguishes
- notes
- descries
- catches
- identifies
- considers
- gets a load of
- looks (at)
- lays eyes on
- sets eyes on
- heeds
- picks out
- scrutinizes
- inspects
- examines
- glimpses
- marks
- scans
- makes out
- surveys
- studies
- minds
- picks up
- attends (to)
- peers (at)
- glances (at)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ignores
- neglects
- disregards
- misses
- overlooks
- passes over
- overpasses