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, 13 Mar. 2026

Otherwise, opposition members or lawmakers in the minority can continue to place a filibuster hold on bills. —Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026

He is being held on $100,000 cash bail and is expected to appear in court Thursday. —The Denver Post, Denver Post, 12 Mar. 2026

McCarthy, for his part, sounded aware that his hold on the starting job is tenuous, too. —CBS News, 12 Mar. 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