1
as in to remain
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 to wait
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 hold on
When an incident arises, such as Burbank Airport recently reporting that no controllers were available, the command center issues an alert stating that any aircraft inbound to Burbank must divert to an alternate airport, and any aircraft that has not yet taken off will be held on the ground.
—
Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 13 Oct. 2025
Trailing 2-0 in the second period, top-liners Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov scored for the Wild to forge a tie, only to see the Blue Jackets snatch the lead back and hold on.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 12 Oct. 2025
Live updates The Broncos recorded nine sacks on Jets quarterback Justin Fields Sunday as Denver narrowly held on to win 13-11 over New York in London.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold on
Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 13 Oct. 2025
Trailing 2-0 in the second period, top-liners Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov scored for the Wild to forge a tie, only to see the Blue Jackets snatch the lead back and hold on.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 12 Oct. 2025
Live updates The Broncos recorded nine sacks on Jets quarterback Justin Fields Sunday as Denver narrowly held on to win 13-11 over New York in London.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold on
Verb
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The Razorbacks forced a punt and Green threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to O’Mega Blake with 2 seconds remaining to cut Texas A&M’s lead to 21-20 at halftime.—
Matt Jones,
Arkansas Online,
19 Oct. 2025
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Interim coaches typically have an uphill battle to remain the head coach long-term.—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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For American farmers waiting on harvesting equipment, that means delays, shortages and higher costs down the line.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
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During their 3-1 victory over Manchester United last month, a total of 14 minutes and 25 seconds was spent waiting for play to be restarted from throw-ins.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Emma Donoghue’s Room, which continues to haunt worried parents everywhere?—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Oct. 2025
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Further, as consumer interest in wearable health tech continues to grow, so do concerns about the privacy of health data.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Not many players Simons’ age would have stayed so committed to the process of growth.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Number one, maybe your soil stays too wet or too dry.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The money being spent on infrastructure, which will last for many years, comes at a time when scientists say the world will shift away from fossil fuels, including natural gas.—
NPR,
NPR,
16 Oct. 2025
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Senter-Rankin said the residency will last until Bar Chelou opens next year.—
Jonathan Shikes,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20on. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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