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
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
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
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
-
What Hilton is right about California’s population is highly concentrated, while much of the state’s land remains rural or undeveloped.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
Burrow has dealt with injuries throughout his career but remains one of the premier talents at the position when healthy.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
-
Stocks fell from their records Thursday after oil prices yo-yoed as Wall Street waits to see whether its hopes for a deal to end the Iran war are warranted or just wishful.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The residual heat lasts through the day.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
13 May 2026
-
Many magnolia trees bloom once per year, with a dramatic flush of flowers that lasts several weeks.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The sharp depletion will also mean the market stays vulnerable for longer to future disruptions even after the conflict ends.—
Grant Smith,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
-
In many cases, scammers reach out but fail to succeed due to timing or suspicion, not because your data stays hidden.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Sennecke’s big postseason continues With a goal in his fourth consecutive game, Sennecke joined Auston Matthews, Nicklas Backstrom and Logan Couture as rookies with four-game goal streaks in the playoffs over the last 25 years.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
Player of the Week Junior shortstop/outfielder Jessi Pontrelli delivers a red-hot week at the plate, going 11-for-13 with nine runs as Lemont continues to run the table in the South Suburban Blue.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holds on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holds%20on. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
