1
as in remains
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 waits
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 holds on
The camera holds on them mid-ascent.
—
Jp Mangalindan, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
Jp Mangalindan, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holds on
Verb
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The tension between maintaining recognizable signatures and demonstrating evolution remains central to her strategy.—
Amy Francombe,
Vogue,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Flagg remains out with a left foot sprain, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said Thursday.—
Christian Clark,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And watch SpaceX lift off to meet its maker, as Elon waits, already in orbit around his own head.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Feb. 2026
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Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Lent lasts 40 days, not counting Sundays, and ends before Easter.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Feb. 2026
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The season of prayer lasts 40 days, excluding Sundays, and ends on Holy Thursday (April 2).—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Almost every Monday afternoon, Reiss e-mails the list about that week’s select titles, and since roughly a thousand of the recipients are regular buyers, many of them respond right away, and Reiss stays at the store until nine or ten at night handling their orders.—
Casey Cep,
New Yorker,
20 Feb. 2026
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Public safety is best served when the Sheriff’s Office stays focused on its mission, respects constitutional rights, and operates with clarity rather than confusion or politics.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Even after playing the biggest stage in the world, Bad Bunny continues to leap to new heights.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The governor continues to state that Massachusetts is not a sanctuary state.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holds on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holds%20on. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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