HELD ON Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

held on

verb

past tense of hold on

as in remained

to remain indefinitely in existence or in the same state the ancient beliefs still held on in remote mountain villages

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in waited

to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something hold on a minute—it's not your turn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of held on Luckily, his heart held on long enough for doctors to rush him to an operating room and drain the fluid, saving his life. — Amiran Baduashvili, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026 Daily Sunrise Stretch classes, often held on the waterfront deck, are complimentary. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 The show was held on a Monday night in its first outing on Prime Video in 2022, and on a Thursday night the next three years. — Paul Grein, Billboard, 5 Oct. 2026 The defense even held on in perhaps the game’s most pivotal moment. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2026 In Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers played in their franchise-record ninth consecutive one-score game, but Minnesota (3-0) held on, 23-16, after batting down a desperate Hail Mary heave as time expired. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 Sep. 2026 Winston completed 12 of 18 passes for 117 yards, Holland intercepted Cam Ward with 17 seconds left and the Giants held on to beat the Tennessee Titans 12-7 on Sunday. — Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026 Brown raced out to a 17-0 lead at halftime and held on for the road win. — Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 19 Sep. 2026 She is currently being held on a $5 million bond and will be tried as an adult. — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for held on

Verb

While Christen and Jude remained among the hottest brands to check out at showroom appointments, other names pinpointed by buyers included Hagelstam, Nomasei, Neous and the newcomers Ananyan and Kiana Ghavidel.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
For more than 50 years, the house remained vacant, was ravaged by fire, and fell into complete disrepair.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of remained

Verb

Trustee Thomas, on the other hand, said Mansfield had too often waited too long to respond to challenges affecting the school district.

— Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Oct. 2026
Some even waited outside Djokovic’s hotel for hours after his late-night matches.

— Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of waited

Verb

Brand has continued posting on streaming and posting on his social media channels during the legal proceedings.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
Alderman maintains that each of the defendants have continued to lie to protect themselves and believes there is evidence of satanic worship.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of continued

Verb

In an Austin school district where buses are equipped with cameras, Waymos were recorded illegally passing them more than twenty times in the past school year—a problem that persisted even after the company tried to fix it.

— Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Residents have staged regular protests as the crisis persisted.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026