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

That Adebayo blocked helped the Heat hold on for the victory despite being outscored 37-23 by the Jazz in the fourth quarter. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2026

She was held on a $10,000 bond pending an arraignment in New Britain Superior Court. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 11 Nov. 2026

This will be an interesting situation with McCord, who seems to only have a temporary hold on the job. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2026

The Jets held on to McDonald through Tuesday’s trade deadline after reports surfaced Monday that the fourth-year edge rusher had asked to be traded. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 11 Nov. 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