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 15-year-old is being held on suspicion of three counts of first-degree assault and one count of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 28 July 2026

Republicans are relishing the long Democratic brawl, while Democrats feel confident about holding on to Michigan. — Maham Javaid, NPR, 27 July 2026

His extradition shortly after leaving office marked a rare chance at justice for Hondurans, who feared his hold on the country's justice system would never allow a conviction on Honduran soil. — ABC News, 26 July 2026

Team Spoon held on for a 129-122 victory over Team Coop before a WNBA All-Star Game record crowd of 19,783. — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 26 July 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