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 suspect is being held on suspicion of murder with bail set at just over $2 million. —Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026

The PicksBURGH Draft Day 5K will be held on April 25 as part of the upcoming NFL Draft festivities on the city's North Shore. —Mike Darnay, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026

The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say. —Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 18 Mar. 2026

Nexstar Media Group’s debate, which is being held on April 22, instituted a 5% polling threshold that invited only Swalwell, Hilton, Bianco, Steyer and Porter to the debate stage. —Grace Hase, Mercury News, 18 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