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

Time your trip to experience the celebrations during Fête du Vodun, an annual festival held on January 10 in Grand-Popo and Ouidah (about a 45-minute drive away). —Melanie Van Zyl, Travel + Leisure, 6 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, 6 Mar. 2026

The event will be held on Friday and Saturday at Xtream Arena in Coralville, a couple miles from the University of Iowa campus, which is widely regarded as the epicenter of the sport. —John Bohnenkamp, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026

Chen was held on a $175,000 bond pending an arraignment on Tuesday in Bridgeport Superior Court. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 5 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