hold together

What does "hold together" mean?

1. To remain in one piece without breaking
2. To keep a group or organization unified
3. To remain emotionally stable during difficult times

Examples

• This old chair is barely holding together.
• She held the family together after their father died.
• The coalition government is struggling to hold together.
• I don't know how she holds it together with three jobs and four kids.
• The team held together despite internal conflicts.

How to use it

'Hold it together' is common advice to stay calm and composed. Describes both physical integrity and emotional/organizational stability. Very useful in stress-related contexts.

Word order

Can be separable with objects: 'hold the team together'. Often used reflexively: 'hold yourself together' or 'hold it together'.

Similar expressions

Opposites

Related phrasal verbs

• hold on

  To wait for a short time

• hold up

  To delay or slow down something

• hold back

  To prevent someone or something from advancing

• hold off

  To delay doing something

• hold out

  To resist or survive in a difficult situation

• hold down

  To keep something at a low level