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 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

Buchanan, at last check, was in the Lucas County Jail, held on $100,000 bond, according to the news outlet. —Michael Guise, CBS News, 18 Nov. 2025

There are three Americans who are wrongfully held on exit bans in Saudi Arabia, according to the Foley Foundation, which advocates for American hostages and wrongful detainees held abroad. —Chris Boccia, ABC News, 18 Nov. 2025

Any community race or run held on Thanksgiving is fine, Qdoba said in the news release. —Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 17 Nov. 2025

Give Miami Day, the largest single-city giving event in the United States, will be held on Thursday with Early Giving already taking place through Wednesday. —Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 17 Nov. 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