verb

zusammenhalten

stick together

Sich gegenseitig unterstützen und als Gruppe oder Familie eng beieinander bleiben.

zusammenhalten is a separable German verb with two closely related meanings:

To hold or keep something together
It means to prevent separate parts from falling apart or becoming detached.
- Der Klebstoff hält die Teile zusammen. — The glue holds the parts together.
- Diese Klammer hält die Papiere zusammen. — This clip keeps the papers together.
To stick together and support one another
Used especially for people, families, teams, or groups that remain united in difficult situations.
- Die Familie hält in schwierigen Zeiten zusammen. — The family sticks together in difficult times.
- Wir müssen zusammenhalten. — We have to stand together.

The verb can therefore describe both physical cohesion and social solidarity.

Examples:

The word consists of:

Literally, zusammenhalten means “to hold together.”

verbinden — to connect or join; emphasizes creating a connection between separate things, rather than actively preventing them from separating.
zusammenfügen — to assemble or join parts; usually refers to putting components together.
festhalten — to hold firmly or retain; focuses more on gripping or keeping something than on cohesion.
sich gegenseitig unterstützen — to support one another; applies to people and emphasizes practical or emotional help.
vereint bleiben — to remain united; is more formal and focuses on continued unity.

auseinanderfallen — to fall apart physically or figuratively; the opposite of things remaining together.
sich trennen — to separate; applies to people, groups, or objects that cease to be together.
auseinandergehen — to come apart or go separate ways; often suggests a gradual or final separation.
zerfallen — to disintegrate or break down; stronger than zusammenhalten because the structure loses its unity.
einander im Stich lassen — to abandon one another; the social opposite of supporting each other.