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, 5 June 2026

On June 5, the Justice Department is due to file its response to one lawsuit in which a Virginia federal judge put a temporary hold on the fund. —Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 5 June 2026

Odd moment plagues fourth quarter As the Knicks held on to their fairly sizable lead, a fan ran onto the court, tried to take a selfie with Wembanyama but was quickly apprehended by security. —Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 4 June 2026

Most of Colorado’s marquee fests have also managed to hold on year after year, despite major pandemic disruptions; see also Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Rockygrass, and Bravo! —John Wenzel, Denver Post, 4 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