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

Mandarin Oriental’s Asian heritage still runs through its veins, so its dedication to care, service, and attention to detail remains.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026
Despite Newsom’s push to commute all death sentences, capital punishment remains legal in California and prosecutors can continue seeking that punishment.

— Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of remains

Verb

Whether institutions keep buying as retail traders pull back will help show if this split lasts beyond the latest sell-off.

— Fred Imbert, CNBC, 11 Nov. 2026
This assortment also features the award-winning, bestselling Hoola Bronzer – ultra-fine, silky-soft powder builds and blends beautifully to create a natural-looking matte bronze that lasts all day.

— ABC News, ABC News, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of lasts

Verb

The decline suggests more households are shifting spending to discount stores even as overall spending holds up and consumer confidence stays below pre-pandemic levels.

— Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2026
Those calculations assume the household’s income stays the same.

— Ken Sweet, Chicago Tribune, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of stays

Verb

That Miami connection continues to inform their approach to cross-border investing.

— William Jones, Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2026
Large-scale fighting has slowed since Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire deal in October 2025, but Israel continues to launch near-daily strikes that have killed more than 1,600 Palestinians.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Nov. 2026