HOLDING ON Synonyms: 54 Similar and Opposite Words

holding on 1 of 2

adjective

as in holding up

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holding on

2 of 2

verb

present participle of hold on

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in waiting

to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something hold on a minute—it's not your turn

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of holding on

Verb

That puts me in the same boat as many millennials and Gen Zers holding on to the family phone plan, one of their last financial ties to their parents. — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 1 Aug. 2026 Schmidt is currently holding on to the collection, though certain items are expected to be auctioned off to further support Stücke and LSVD+. — Sara Belcher, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026 Argyle, a quiet community holding on to its rural roots, is at a crossroads with rapid growth and traffic congestion driving the need to widen FM 407, which goes through the town in southern Denton County. — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 June 2026 Kaity Schultz's husband, Chris, said the road ahead will be long, but their family is holding on to hope. — Marissa Perlman, CBS News, 27 May 2026 Eveningside’s smaller arms holding on to the chains while Morningside’s longer arms propelled them, her fists and excess joints braced against the ground; their span lengthening, extending and retracting in the girls’ to and fro. — Literary Hub, 20 May 2026 Now, holding on to Paredes may prove to be a season-saving decision. — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 6 May 2026 Older employees are holding on to roles for longer, delaying the upward movement that typically creates space for new entrants. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026 Amid all that, Varsity Blues — about a Texas high-school football team rebelling against its abusive coach and holding on to one last gasp of glory before graduation — got a little lost. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding on

Verb

Originally famed for the company’s organs that swelled Detroit theaters and churches, the situation became perilous after Wurlitzer and the remaining tenants all left by 1982.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026
His catalog has aged remarkably well, continuing to find new listeners while remaining deeply meaningful to longtime fans.

— Jamie Graziano, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026

Definition of remaining

Verb

Penix was still waiting to be fully cleared from his ACL tear and Tagovailoa did not participate because of an injury that had flared up in recent days, according to Stefanski.

— Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 30 July 2026
People whose vehicles remain trapped in the parking garage beneath the Empire Towers building in Glen Burnie, which was evacuated and declared unsafe on July 9, could be waiting months to get them back.

— Adam Thompson, CBS News, 30 July 2026

Definition of waiting

Verb

Venture capital and investors more generally are eager to spend heavily in the latest technologies, especially with the AI race continuing to heat up.

— Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
His catalog has aged remarkably well, continuing to find new listeners while remaining deeply meaningful to longtime fans.

— Jamie Graziano, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026

Definition of continuing

Verb

This will be a lasting image burned into the legacy of both WWE and Oba Femi’s lore.

— Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Still, Desai argued that SpaceX’s IPO will have a lasting impact on the industry, and ultimately open up capital markets for entrepreneurs building the next billion-dollar businesses.

— Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026