1. to control.

Each group that held sway over a particular strip of the Mississippi River controlled who used it.

2. to have great influence.

Ten years after she correctly predicted the crash, she still holds sway among stock brokers.

• hold out on
• hold out on someone
• hold out something
• hold over
• hold own
• hold promise
• hold someone at arm's length
• hold someone in check
• hold someone over
• hold someone's feet to the fire
• hold someone's hand
• hold someone to
• hold someone to ransom
• hold someone to something
• hold something against
• hold something against someone
• hold something back
• hold something in check
• hold something over
• hold sway
• hold the fort
• hold the key
• hold the line
• hold the line on
• hold the line on something