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

Safety officials investigate building The cause of the roof collapse remains under investigation, Bradenton officials said Sunday afternoon.

— Ryan Ballogg July 27, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026
Their initial target is to recover at least 50% of the mineral content, but PNNL says reaching that baseline efficiently remains difficult.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 July 2026

Definition of remains

Verb

Notably, that recognition from the top is the component most often missing; acknowledgment tends to come from direct supervisors and peers, while the executive level stays silent.

— Mena Mirhom, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Miami’s zoning code prohibits stays under 30 days in multi-family residential buildings without a condo-hotel Certificate of Use.

— Joan Chrissos, Miami Herald, 28 July 2026

Definition of stays

Verb

And as the influx of billionaires and multi-millionaires to the region continues, the market for luxury homes priced at $30 million and up has exploded, according to a new report from the real estate research firm Analytics Miami.

— Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Levine programming continues to include the Catalyst Fellowship Program for college students and summer camps.

— Claire Harutunian, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026