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 addition to panels and workshops, Industry Connect, the event’s signature one-on-one meetings with industry leaders and experts, will be held on both days. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025

The Carlyle branding will begin being featured on the RB21, starting with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku City, with race week beginning on Sept 19 and the race being held on Sunday, September 21. —Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025

The two Madison Square Garden shows will be held on March 19 and 20, with the Kia Forum set for February 18 and February 19. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2025

Companies routinely buy back their own shares to incentivize investors to hold on to them; reducing the number of shares available increases earnings per share and helps boost their own stock prices. —Jim Edwards, Fortune, 9 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