hold on

verb

held on; holding on; holds on

intransitive verb

1

a

: to maintain a condition or position : persist

b

: to maintain a grasp on something : hang on

2

: to await something (such as a telephone connection) desired or requested

broadly : wait

see also:

hold on to

Synonyms of hold on

• remain
• continue
• last

Examples of hold on in a Sentence

the ancient beliefs still held on in remote mountain villages

hold on a minute—it's not your turn

Recent Examples on the Web

The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say. — Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026

Plata was fighting a pretty strong German defense and a hold on his jersey to get up there. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 26 June 2026

The village will hold on to the remaining 60%, and whoever buys the home will receive property tax breaks for 10 years. — Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026

Steele said the bankruptcy filing temporarily put a hold on the lawsuit, but the hold has since been lifted and the case is now moving onto the discovery phase. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for hold on

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon

Kids Definition

hold on

verb

1

: to keep a hold

2

: wait entry 1 sense 1a