Merriam - Webster Word of the day *beholden*

beholden
adjective
be·​hold·​en bi-ˈhōl-dən
bē-
Synonyms of beholden
: being under obligation for a favor or gift : indebted
I'm beholden to you

Did you know?

To behold something is to perceive or gaze upon it—therefore, to be beholden is to be seen or observed, right? Not so fast! It’s true that behold and beholden share the same Old English roots, and also that beholden originated as the past participle of behold, whose original meaning was “to hold or retain.” But the two words weaved and wended their way down different paths into present-day English. Behold had settled into its “perceive, see” use by the 12th century. Meanwhile, beholden was called into duty as the “indebted, obligated” adjective we know today by the 14th century, as evidenced by its appearance in the Middle-English poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In the ensuing years, beholden has continued to describe people who are obligated to others (often for a favor or gift), as well as people or things that are in figurative debt due to aid or inspiration, as in “many contemporary books and films are beholden to old Arthurian legends.”
Synonyms

   bounden [archaic]
   indebted
   obligated
   obliged

Examples of beholden in a Sentence
not wanting to be beholden to anyone, he insisted on paying his own way
Recent Examples on the Web While medications are prescribed by an elite medical authority figure, supplements are peddled by entrepreneurs beholden only to the market. —
WIRED, 31 July 2023 Peacock wasn’t so beholden to tradition. — Daniel Vaillancourt, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2021 Politicians are increasingly beholden not to moderate voters who make up much of the electorate, but to extreme partisans who turn out in force for primary elections. —
Sammy Rothstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2023


These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beholden.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology

Middle English, from past participle of beholden

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of beholden was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century
Phrases Containing beholden

   beholden to

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Dictionary Entries Near beholden

behold

beholden

beholden to
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Style

“Beholden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beholden. Accessed 22 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition

beholden
adjective
be·​hold·​en bi-ˈhōl-dən
: being indebted for a favor or gift