hold on

verb

held on; holding on; holds on

intransitive verb

1

a

: to maintain a condition or position : persist

b

: to maintain a grasp on something : hang on

2

: to await something (such as a telephone connection) desired or requested

broadly : wait

see also:

hold on to

Synonyms of hold on

• remain
• continue
• last

Examples of hold on in a Sentence

the ancient beliefs still held on in remote mountain villages

hold on a minute—it's not your turn

Recent Examples on the Web

Ultimately, Cleveland held on for a 125-120 win. —Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 1 May 2026

The suspect was arrested and charged with one count of burglary and two counts of first-degree assault and is being held on $1 million bail, according to online jail records. —Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026

During his arraignment in Queens Criminal Court Tuesday, he was ordered held on $25,000 bail. —Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026

Unsurprisingly, the Flower Moon gets its name from the blooms that burst into life as winter releases its hold on the land. —Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for hold on

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon

Kids Definition

hold on

verb

1

: to keep a hold

2

: wait entry 1 sense 1a