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Definition of "foothold" []

  • A place providing support for the foot in climbing or standing. (noun)
  • A firm or secure position that provides a base for further advancement. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "foothold" in a sentence
  • "One such provision is his Free Choice Voucher, which he described as a "foothold for choice and competition and a safety valve for Americans whose employers are already forcing them to bear more and more of their family's health insurance costs.""
  • "All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent."
  • "It starts off with a big roof about three feet off the ground, which fortunately has really good hands above it -- but that means your first foothold is at waist level."