HOLDS ON Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

holds on

verb

present tense third-person singular of hold on

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

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

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 holds on The compilation misses remaining in the highest tier by only two rungs, while The Essential Michael Jackson barely holds on inside the bottom quarter of the 200-position roster. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 House Bill 945 establishes new regulations for cryptocurrency kiosks and allows financial institutions to place temporary holds on transactions when elder financial exploitation is suspected. — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 29 June 2026 Nava’s specific approach to reining in rogue behavior by AI agents is the creation of an escrow service that holds on to funds until an agent proposes a transaction. — Jack Kubinec, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026 The camera holds on them mid-ascent. — Jp Mangalindan, Time, 27 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for holds on

Verb

Eventually, some make it over the top, but, still, the gate remains closed.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
The exact timing of the front remains uncertain, and if the storms arrive a little sooner, the severe threat will not be as great as Monday.

— Andrew Kozak, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of remains

Verb

And then there is a producer fearless enough to cross the minefield, knowing that on the far side waits a festival circuit slightly fatigued by war stories from Ukraine.

— Sonya Vseliubska, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026
Most meetings run on the host’s agenda while the client waits to be heard.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of waits

Verb

There is no greater cautionary tale than Australia’s cane toads, whose now 200-million strong population continues to wreak havoc 91 years after being introduced to deal with the country’s cane beetle problem.

— Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
The episode picks up when Bret and Robert have their first tense interaction — their vaguely hostile and lightly homoerotic back-and-forth continues to be the highlight of the show for me.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026