Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to uphold the tradition

to uphold the tradition

1 4.1
To keep and respect old ways in a family or community
  • phrasal verb
  • /ʌpˈhoʊld ðə trəˈdɪʃən/
translation icon : mantener la tradición
  • During the ceremony, the speaker emphasized the need to uphold the tradition of community service.

Examples

  • As students of Crawford Academy, you have a responsibility to uphold the traditions established by your predecessors, which include being on time, Miss Wainwright, Miss Thomerson.

    Happy Birthday to Me (1981)

  • We must uphold the tradition.

    3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994)

  • Khizr Tiwana upheld the tradition of loyalty with the British.

    Academic text (2018)

  • As members of the club, we must uphold the tradition of wearing uniforms at all events.

  • The family decided to uphold the tradition of gathering every year for the holiday feast.

Synonyms

to practice
vsto uphold the tradition
205 1.0

To do something regularly as a habit or rule

focuses more on keeping and honoring customs over mere repetition
to uphold
vsto uphold the tradition
176 4.4

To support and keep a law, decision, or belief in effect

emphasizes maintaining customs and showing respect rather than legal defense
to observe
vsto uphold the tradition
93 3.4

To follow a rule or tradition by doing what it asks

is about maintaining customs and showing long term respect
to adhere
vsto uphold the tradition
87 4.7

Continue to follow and support a rule, belief, or person

highlights active continuation and public respect instead of personal loyalty

How Modern

trailblazing
1 5.6
to modernize
51 4.0
to adapt
150 3.0
to resist
311 2.2
to uphold the tradition
1 4.1

Surface Forms

uphold the tradition infinitive
upholding the tradition present participle
upholds the tradition third person singular
upheld the tradition past
upheld the tradition past participle

Morphology

uphold + the + tradition

The meaning 'to maintain, continue, and show respect for established customs' is directly and predictably built from 'uphold' (to maintain/support) combined with 'tradition' (customs handed down). This verb + noun composition follows a common compositional pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The phrase uphold the tradition brings to mind someone lifting and holding an old torch or object so it stays bright and seen, where uphold is to lift and tradition is an old custom. So to uphold the tradition means 'to keep a custom going and show respect for it'.