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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holds on
Verb
-
Thankfully for the Packers, Chicago remains in the division.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025 -
The cause of it remains under investigation.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The world waits for a compelling example of humanoid robots saving a customer money in a defensible way.—
Jeff Mahler,
Forbes,
23 Dec. 2024
-
Compiled annually by a group led by Franklin Leonard, a recipient of a Gotham tribute award this year, Variety waits with childlike anticipation each year to see which scripts film executives have really been buzzing over — but haven’t had the budget or the chutzpah to put into production just yet.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
10 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Díaz de la Portilla lost in a runoff to Miguel Angel Gabela, whose term lasts until 2027.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The hopper holds up to 80 balls, and the 6,700mAh battery lasts for up to three hours of play.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Owalas are made with stainless steel, so water stays cold for hours, and the 16-ounce size is ideal for the younger kid crowd.—
Chaunie Brusie,
Parents,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Marc Jacobs branded fragrances are everywhere, including big box stores and cosmetic store chains, but this documentary stays focused on high fashion.—
Caryn James,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The team’s work continues to show the great diversity of shapes and sizes of creatures of the deep.—
Danielle Hall,
Smithsonian Magazine,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Schaefer continues to play better and better and looks to be in a premier role for Canada to start the tournament.—
The Athletic NHL Staff,
The Athletic,
24 Dec. 2024
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.
Cite this Entry
“Holds on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holds%20on. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share