1
as in remaining
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
2
as in waiting
to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something
hold on a minute—it's not your turn
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in holding up
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of holding on
Janine Henni, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
BofA doesn’t project any scenarios in the event of a recession, but with the economy stalling out for job-hoppers, the workforce is in white-knuckle mode, holding on tight.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025
Howe is still talking about the possibility of holding on to Isak and reintegrating him into the Newcastle squad.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
The Miami secondary settled down in team periods, though, and Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was often holding on to the ball or checking it down.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
During their conversation, France speaks about holding on tightly to his little ones.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
BofA doesn’t project any scenarios in the event of a recession, but with the economy stalling out for job-hoppers, the workforce is in white-knuckle mode, holding on tight.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025
Howe is still talking about the possibility of holding on to Isak and reintegrating him into the Newcastle squad.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
The Miami secondary settled down in team periods, though, and Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was often holding on to the ball or checking it down.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding on
Verb
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Edwards will have the children for the remaining 140 days.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Down four with three minutes remaining, the Cowboys began their potential game-winning drive at their own 18-yard line.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The attackers opened fire at people waiting at a bus depot, police said, before boarding a bus to continue the attack.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
8 Sep. 2025
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The kids with the balls spent all that time hunkered down on the stairs, laying low and waiting to be allowed back to their seats.—
The Athletic Tennis Staff,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Commission was also unimpressed by Jackson continuing to promote SPIS’ data around the location on the pitch and timing of Paqueta’s bookings during the game during cross-examination, despite the fact that the FA had abandoned this evidence.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
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Krishan Gopaul, senior EMEA analyst at the World Gold Council, told CNBC in a call on Tuesday that macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty was fueling huge inflows into gold ETFs, while central banks were continuing to shore up their gold reserves — both of which were keeping prices elevated.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Multigenerational travel can be one of the most rewarding ways to explore the world, offering opportunities for grandparents, parents, and children to share experiences and create lasting memories together.—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Sep. 2025
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This should have created a GRB lasting mere seconds, however.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Holding on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20on. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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