hang on

verb

hung on; hanging on; hangs on

intransitive verb

1

: to keep hold : hold on to something

2

: to persist tenaciously

a cold that hung on all spring

3

: hold on sense 2

I'll get the answer if you can hang on.

see also:

hang on to

Examples of hang on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

About a quarter of the customers are local contractors or business owners, who store small machinery, tools, supplies, merchandise, or paperwork that they’re legally required to hang on to. — David Owen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

Unless, of course, Mas hangs on for Spain’s first victory since 2014. — Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Pictures of the disaster and cleanup hung on walls, along with quilts and art projects schoolchildren made commemorating the victims. — Miles J. Herszenhorn, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026

In defiance of the calendar, here are 50 outdoor concerts in the weeks ahead to hang on to that last part of summer. — Kayla Samoy, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1719, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hang on

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

Kids Definition

hang on

verb

1

: to keep hold or possession especially tightly

hang on or you'll fall

hang on to your money

2

: to continue stubbornly

a cold that hung on all spring