1
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
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Recent Examples of held on
They're each being held on $8 million bail.
—
Austin Turner, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
The 98th Academy Awards were held on Sunday, March 15.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
Butterflies, bees and other pollinators are also drawn to the numerous white to pink flowers, which are held on narrow spikes up to six inches long.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2026
The display will be held on July 3, in partnership with state of South Dakota, the National Park Service announced on March 9.
—Eve Chen, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Inbound flights were held on taxiways away from gates during the investigation.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 9 Mar. 2026
He was transported to the Hartford Police Detention Facility where he was charged with murder and interfering with police and was held on $1 million bond, according to Boisvert.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2026
Sohail is currently held on $500,000 cash bail or $1 million bond in his state case, and Eisner-Grynberg was asking he be released on bond in the federal case to live with his mother once the state charges are resolved.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 2 Mar. 2026
The 98th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 15, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
—Gma Team, ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
Austin Turner, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
The 98th Academy Awards were held on Sunday, March 15.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
Butterflies, bees and other pollinators are also drawn to the numerous white to pink flowers, which are held on narrow spikes up to six inches long.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2026
The display will be held on July 3, in partnership with state of South Dakota, the National Park Service announced on March 9.
—Eve Chen, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Inbound flights were held on taxiways away from gates during the investigation.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 9 Mar. 2026
He was transported to the Hartford Police Detention Facility where he was charged with murder and interfering with police and was held on $1 million bond, according to Boisvert.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2026
Sohail is currently held on $500,000 cash bail or $1 million bond in his state case, and Eisner-Grynberg was asking he be released on bond in the federal case to live with his mother once the state charges are resolved.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 2 Mar. 2026
The 98th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 15, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
—Gma Team, ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for held on
Verb
-
The same sources also say the brand hasn't made significant profit from the phone, as costs remained high and kept rising amid the global memory shortage.—
James Peckham,
PC Magazine,
16 Mar. 2026
-
With the Blazers losing, the Warriors remained a half-game up on Portland for the ninth seed.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sullivan could have left some positions totally devoid of veterans and waited to see what free agents fall through the cracks in June and July free agency.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
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As officers waited to take Lombera into custody, a crisis negotiator tried to find a phone number to communicate with Lombera but was not successful, Wagstaffe said.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Blizzard conditions continued in the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes on Monday after the storm walloped parts of Wisconsin and Michigan with several feet of snow.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Hezbollah has not lived up to its end of the deal, and Israel has continued bombing Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon.—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Initial reports from local news outlets that indicated the standoff lasted 11 hours, that a marshal was struck by shrapnel and that Dickey had a hostage in the building were not accurate, Kitchens said.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
14 Mar. 2026
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Spagnesi says the data could indicate recurring fire events, likely tied to the Medieval Warm Period, which lasted from approximately 900-1300 CE.—
Nidhi Sharma,
Popular Science,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Curiously, the antidepressant effect emerged after the mind-altering experiences and persisted for more than a week, suggesting that ketamine might be doing more than making the patients trip.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
-
In Colorado, some controversy surrounding Rae’s leadership has persisted.—
Amber Gaudet,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Held on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/held%20on. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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