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

Phrases

hold on to

: to maintain possession of or adherence to

Synonyms

• 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 council’s annual Gold Award ceremony for Girl Scouts in San Diego and Imperial counties was held on June 8 in the Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center in La Jolla. —Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025

Text messages released throughout 2022 as part of discovery in the case revealed an exchange between Prehn and Walker, the former governor, in which Walker advised Prehn to hold on to his seat in order to counter the voices of Evers' appointees. —Ariela Lopez, jsonline.com, 6 Aug. 2025

Powerball drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights. —Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025

Those who become addicted sometimes have a desperate need to hold on, even as the talents that brought renown begin to fade and eventually disappear. —Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025

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