Merriam-Webster Logo
  • Dictionary
  • Thesaurus
  • Medical
  • Scrabble
  • Spanish Central
  • Learner's Dictionary


noun \ˈhōl\

Simple Definition of hole

  • : an opening into or through something

  • : a hollow place in the ground

  • : a place in the ground where an animal lives

Full Definition of hole

  1. 1 a :  an opening through something :  perforation <have a hole in my coat> b :  an area where something is missing :  gap: as (1) :  a serious discrepancy :  flaw, weakness <some holes in your logic> (2) :  an opening in a defensive formation; especially :  the area of a baseball field between the positions of shortstop and third baseman (3) :  a defect in a crystal (as of a semiconductor) that is due to an electron's having left its normal position in one of the crystal bonds and that is equivalent in many respects to a positively charged particle

  2. 2 :  a hollowed-out place: as a :  a cave, pit, or well in the ground b :  burrow c :  an unusually deep place in a body of water (as a river)

  3. 3 a :  a wretched or dreary place b :  a prison cell especially for solitary confinement

  4. 4 a :  a shallow cylindrical hole in the putting green of a golf course into which the ball is played b :  a part of the golf course from tee to putting green <just beginning play on the third hole>; also :  the play on such a hole as a unit of scoring <won the hole by two strokes>

  5. 5 a :  an awkward position or circumstance :  fix <got the rebels out of a hole at the battle — Kenneth Roberts> b :  a position of owing or losing money <$10 million in the hole> <raising money to get out of the hole>

in the hole
  1. 1 :  having a score below zero

  2. 2 :  at a disadvantage

Examples of hole

  1. I have a hole in my sock.

  2. He fixed the hole in the roof.

  3. a mouse hole in the wall

  4. The dog dug a deep hole.

  5. Her putt rolled right into the hole.

  6. She made a birdie on the seventh hole.

  7. The course has 18 holes.

Origin of hole

Middle English, from Old English hol (from neuter of hol, adjective, hollow) & holh; akin to Old High German hol, adjective, hollow and perhaps to Old English helan to conceal — more at hell

First Known Use: before 12th century




Simple Definition of hole

  • golf : to hit (the ball) into the hole

Full Definition of hole


  1. transitive verb
  2. 1 :  to make a hole in

  3. 2 :  to drive or hit into a hole <hole a putt>

  4. intransitive verb
  5. :  to make a hole in something

Examples of hole

  1. She holed a long putt for a birdie.

  2. <holed the target with a round of shots>

Before 12th Century

First Known Use of hole

before 12th century

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up hole? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).


February 10, 2016

to put in good humor

Get Word of the Day daily email!


Take a 3-minute break and test your skills!



duvet kittly-benders pince-nez spindrift
Name That Thing


