Master confusing words with ease
A hold vs. Ahold
A hold
/ə hoʊld/Examples:
Finding common ground requires a hold over emotions.She has a hold on the key decisions of the project.His charisma gives him a hold on people's hearts.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ahold
/əˈhəʊld/Examples:
She managed to get ahold of the last concert tickets.A sudden breeze took the kite ahold and lifted it high.It's crucial to keep ahold of the situation in a crisis.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Ahold is mostly used in American English, while a hold is more common in British English contexts.
- Ahold is an informal version of a hold and can sometimes be used for emphasis or dramatic effect.
- Remember that a hold is often followed by of to indicate grabbing or grasping something physically or emotionally.
- Ahold can be likened to slang while a hold sticks to standard grammar rules.
- If in doubt and writing formally, a hold is generally the safer choice as it's viewed as more traditional.
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