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

• abide
• bide
• continue
• endure
• hold up
• keep up
• last
• perdure
• persist
• remain
• run on

Example Sentences

the ancient beliefs still held on in remote mountain villages

hold on a minute—it's not your turn

Recent Examples on the Web

Ottawa drew a pair of penalties on one sequence (roughing on Aaron Ekblad and holding on Cousins) giving the Senators a two-man advantage for a full two minutes. —George Richards, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2023

Now, Republicans have an even stronger hold on the body in the final weeks of a legislative session where increasingly hardline GOP members have wielded their supermajority to push through conservative priorities. —Amanda Su, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2023

Trump had a particularly strong hold on its core audience members. —Jim Rutenberg, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2023

Back in China, tensions were escalating over the government’s tightening hold on everyday life. —Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2023

As the Suns maintain their hold on the number four seed in the West and the Diamondbacks host the Dodgers in their 2023 home opener, the light rail could serve as Thursday night's MVP. —Kye Graves, The Arizona Republic, 6 Apr. 2023

This year’s wet winter has also begun to fuel what many hope will be a superbloom of wildflowers in California, with orange poppies, purple lupine and golden violets beginning to take hold on the ranchlands. —Kurtis Alexander, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Apr. 2023

Those maps, widely regarded as among the most gerrymandered in the country, have helped Republicans increase their hold on the state Legislature to near supermajority levels, even as Democrats have won statewide elections, including Tony Evers as governor in both 2018 and 2022 and Biden in 2020. —Scott Bauer, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Apr. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

hold on

verb

1

: to keep a hold

2

: wait entry 1 sense 1a