1
as in to remain
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 to wait
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 hold on
The first leg of the Triple Crown is traditionally held on the first Saturday in May.
—
Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
Regional presidents Neel Kashkari of Minneapolis, Lorie Logan of Dallas and Beth Hammack of Cleveland released statements explaining their votes, offering similar rationale regarding the verbiage in the statement — but not over the decision to keep a hold on rates form their current position.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 1 May 2026
With the Stars pressing to tie, Wallstedt made 10 third period saves and held on for several whistles to squelch any Dallas momentum.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
Word Art Inspirational word art was a decor trend that held on for perhaps a bit too long.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold on
Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
Regional presidents Neel Kashkari of Minneapolis, Lorie Logan of Dallas and Beth Hammack of Cleveland released statements explaining their votes, offering similar rationale regarding the verbiage in the statement — but not over the decision to keep a hold on rates form their current position.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 1 May 2026
With the Stars pressing to tie, Wallstedt made 10 third period saves and held on for several whistles to squelch any Dallas momentum.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
Word Art Inspirational word art was a decor trend that held on for perhaps a bit too long.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold on
Verb
-
The Knicks now move on and remain a contender in the Eastern Conference.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
He was ordered not to have contact with the victim or her family and to remain in Massachusetts under GPS monitoring.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
After Monday night’s Game 4 victory, there was no bravado, no declarations and no viral sound bites waiting to be misinterpreted.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The club wanted to offer the 37-year-old Polish striker reduced terms with a secondary role while Lewandowski was waiting to see what the club’s sporting directors would offer him.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Burke continued a strong series for Sox starters, following up Noah Schultz’s six scoreless innings Friday with six scoreless of his own.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
-
Yet cross-cultural influence continues to be a key subject of art history, and quotation is still a commonplace practice in contemporary art.—
Glenn Adamson,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Speak simply, and let your honesty keep things moving forward smoothly while staying curious and open.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
-
Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago’s past.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
And an Oakland teachers strike in 1996 lasted about a month.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Then came the brutal Japanese annexation that lasted from 1910 to 1945.—
Lori Waxman,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hold on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20on. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
