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
Powerball drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights.
—
Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 28 June 2025
The Amazon founder, 61, and the Emmy-winning journalist, 55, tied the knot in a black-tie ceremony held on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, Italy, on Friday, June 27.
—Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 27 June 2025
More than 60 people held on Rikers have died since 2020, including two last week.
—Jonathan Lippman, New York Daily News, 27 June 2025
Primary elections were held on Tuesday for other offices such as lieutenant governor and attorney general.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold on
Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 28 June 2025
The Amazon founder, 61, and the Emmy-winning journalist, 55, tied the knot in a black-tie ceremony held on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, Italy, on Friday, June 27.
—Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 27 June 2025
More than 60 people held on Rikers have died since 2020, including two last week.
—Jonathan Lippman, New York Daily News, 27 June 2025
Primary elections were held on Tuesday for other offices such as lieutenant governor and attorney general.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold on
Verb
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The extent of the claims are documented in a 255-page affidavit that remains under seal while one co-defendant, Ying Zhang, remains free.—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 July 2025
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Areas hardest hit by the July 4 floods—including Kerr, Llano, and Bell counties—remain at high risk.—
Hannah Parry
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
Verb
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As police arrived, the group sat outside and waited for several hours for more information and direction from officers.—
Laurie Mason Schroeder,
Idaho Statesman,
1 July 2025
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Because while others sit back, waiting for the dust to settle, the forward-thinkers are already iterating on version 3.0.—
Crystal Gilmore,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Verb
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As the co-chairman continues to push the need to channel that inner 10-year-old, the episode switches to home movie footage of the players as kids, interspersed with match action from the game against Charlton.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
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As Condé Nast’s global chief content officer, Wintour continues to oversee all of the company’s brands, including titles like Wired, Vanity Fair, GQ, Glamour, Bon Appétit, Allure and more, with the exception of The New Yorker.—
Conor Murray,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Verb
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Enzo Maresca insists the best plan is for Josh Acheampong to stay at Chelsea next season despite reports linking him with a move away from Stamford Bridge in this transfer window.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
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Conclusion To stay competitive in 2025 and beyond, organizations must treat open-source security and compliance as strategic capabilities—not afterthoughts.—
Stephanie Domas,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Verb
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The war that began on June 13 with Israeli attacks against Iranian nuclear sites lasted for 12 days.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
29 June 2025
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Sunday's flight lasted about 10 minutes and 33 seconds, allowing the civilian crew a chance to unbuckle from their seats and briefly experience weightlessness in the capsule.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
29 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20on. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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