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
The runoff election will be held on June 16.
—
Irene Wright, USA Today, 6 June 2026
Irizarry was charged with operating an unregistered motor vehicle, operating without a license, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of narcotics, carrying a pistol without a permit, criminal possession of a firearm and weapon in a motor vehicle and was held on a $750,000 bond.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 5 June 2026
The listening session, held on the FDA’s White Oak Campus, featured 17 speakers representing patient groups, drug companies, and academic organizations.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 5 June 2026
Northlake Mall is one of hundreds of malls across the nation being reimagined to meet today's needs, rather than holding on to the past.
—Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold on
Irene Wright, USA Today, 6 June 2026
Irizarry was charged with operating an unregistered motor vehicle, operating without a license, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of narcotics, carrying a pistol without a permit, criminal possession of a firearm and weapon in a motor vehicle and was held on a $750,000 bond.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 5 June 2026
The listening session, held on the FDA’s White Oak Campus, featured 17 speakers representing patient groups, drug companies, and academic organizations.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 5 June 2026
Northlake Mall is one of hundreds of malls across the nation being reimagined to meet today's needs, rather than holding on to the past.
—Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold on
Verb
-
Spain remains solidly second on the international rankings.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
-
The Covina Police Department said the incident remained under investigation.—
Seamus Bozeman
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Servers glide by with carts of champagne and caviar, and with desserts waiting to be flambéed right at your table.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 June 2026
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And with roughly an hour to go until tipoff, there are still droves of fans outside waiting to get into the arena.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) separately reported that Naqvi carried a letter from Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has continued to keep a low public profile since assuming his post in March.—
Dalia Abdelwahab,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
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The Karmelo Anthony trial continued Saturday for almost nine hours with about a dozen witnesses at the Collin County Courthouse.—
Dawn White,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Whistler With a compact village core lined with cafes, restaurants, and galleries, Whistler, home to North America’s largest ski resort, is a natural place to stay overnight (or longer), along the Sea to Sky.—
Vivian Chung,
Travel + Leisure,
7 June 2026
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Foreign fans, like other tourists, have heard horror stories about ICE and are electing to stay home.—
Chris Jones,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
Verb
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The talks, conducted in coordination with the US, lasted into the early hours of this morning, the source said, as the US was striking Iran.—
Arpita Dasika,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
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That unrest lasted several days, but the Police Service of Northern Ireland has urged an immediate cessation of the current disorder and a return to calm.—
Olivia-Anne Cleary,
Time,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hold on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20on. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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