Use behold when the act of seeing should feel elevated, dramatic, biblical, or literary. In ordinary conversation, see, look at, or watch usually sounds more natural.
Use behold when the act of seeing should feel elevated, dramatic, biblical, or literary. In ordinary conversation, see, look at, or watch usually sounds more natural.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| I beholded the movie last night. | I saw the movie last night. |
| She beholded the sunset. | She beheld the sunset. |
| Can you behold my keys? | Can you see my keys? |
Use behold as an attention-getting word only when the style is deliberately formal, theatrical, biblical, or playful. In modern plain speech, look, see, or here is is usually better.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Low and behold, the keys were on the table. | Lo and behold, the keys were on the table. |
| Behold, I found your charger in my bag. | Look, I found your charger in my bag. |
| And beholded, the door opened. | And behold, the door opened. |
Reserve the word for literary, dramatic, biblical, ceremonial, or playful contexts. In most everyday situations, see, look at, watch, or notice is clearer and less theatrical.
Beholded is not the past tense. Use beheld. The expression is lo and behold, not low and behold.
From Middle English beholden, from Old English behealdan, meaning to hold, keep, or observe. It combines the prefix be- with healdan, the ancestor of hold. The sense moved from keeping or holding attention to looking at something carefully.
What does behold mean?
It means to see, look at, or gaze upon something. It can also call attention, as in Behold!
Is behold old-fashioned?
Yes. It is literary or old-fashioned in most modern uses, though it still appears for dramatic or playful effect.
What is the past tense of behold?
The past tense is beheld.
What does a sight to behold mean?
It means something impressive, beautiful, strange, or memorable to look at.
Is it lo and behold or low and behold?
The correct phrase is lo and behold.
What are synonyms of behold?
Synonyms include see, look at, view, observe, gaze at, and regard.
Can behold be an interjection?
Yes. Behold! can be used to tell people to look or pay attention, usually in an old-fashioned or dramatic style.