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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Because of the holiday, the Downtown Elgin Market and the French Market in West Dundee won’t be held on Friday, July 4. Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025 Grenier was held on a $200,000 bond and was expected to be arraigned on Monday in Norwich Superior Court. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 30 June 2025 That roundup includes five other projects that have held on for at least a year, including Born Sinner, The Off-Season, KOD, Cole World: The Sideline Story, and 4 Your Eyez Only. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025 Bohannan and Miller-Meeks are also set to face off against other candidates in primaries scheduled to be held on June 2, 2026. Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for hold on

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of hold on was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hold on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hold%20on. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

hold on

verb
1
: to keep a hold
2

More from Merriam-Webster on hold on

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!