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

In this massive auto industry shift, GM and Ford vehicles are holding on to global market shares of about 9 percent and 6 percent. —Rebecca A. Fannin, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025

BofA downgraded Oklo , which makes advanced micro-nuclear reactors , to a hold on valuation. —Jim Cramer, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025

Surtain got called for holding on the first play of the game and got a timely pass break-up from Jones on what might have been a big play, but otherwise held Chase to a quiet night once again. —Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman met on the set of the film Days of Thunder in 1989 and later married in December 1990 during a private ceremony held on Christmas Eve. —Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 30 Sep. 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