held on

verb

Definition of held onnext
past tense of hold on
1
as in remained
to remain indefinitely in existence or in the same state the ancient beliefs still held on in remote mountain villages

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in waited
to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something hold on a minute—it's not your turn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for held on
  1. remained
  2. waited
  3. continued
  4. lasted
  5. persisted
Verb
  • Since researchers began excavating and studying Stonehenge in the 17th century, the structure’s purpose has remained a mystery.
    Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Yet Dylan remained deeply ambivalent about being absorbed into any kind of movement.
    Grant Wong, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024
Definition of remained
Verb
  • Two hours before gametime, keen observers of Leonard’s longstanding pregame routine waited for the two-time NBA Finals MVP’s arrival onto the Intuit Dome floor.
    Law Murray, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
  • The Cowboys waited seven days before announcing Garrett wouldn’t be coming back after the 2019 season.
    Jon Machota, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
Definition of waited
Verb
  • While Jones has found less success to this point in his rookie season, Mitchell has only continued to increase his impact on the team.
    Nick Crain, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
  • After the ceremony, the day continued with various rituals and games.
    Shelby Wax, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2024
Definition of continued
Verb
  • Westphal lasted seven games into that third season.
    Joe Davidson, Sacramento Bee, 6 Jan. 2025
  • The conversation lasted so long, five or six hours, that Leavitt’s dad, Jared, fell asleep.
    Doug Haller, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
Definition of lasted
Verb
  • The fish had effectively died out of these waters years earlier, but have since persisted in the clean water.
    Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 23 Dec. 2024
  • But residents’ complaints about conditions have persisted for decades, with protests intensifying in 2021.
    Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
Definition of persisted
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near held on

held off (on)

held on

held one's breath

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Cite this Entry

“Held on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/held%20on. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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