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 Canadiens were in Philadelphia on Thursday to face the Flyers coming off three straight losses but, despite that, still holding on to the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
—
Arpon Basu, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
The community is asked to hold on to found animals for a minimum of four days.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Mar. 2025
He is currently being held on a $105,000 bond, according to local NBC affiliate KETK-TV.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 27 Mar. 2025
For most of the 2000s, arXiv couldn’t hold on to more than a few developers.
—Sheon Han, Wired News, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold on
Arpon Basu, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
The community is asked to hold on to found animals for a minimum of four days.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Mar. 2025
He is currently being held on a $105,000 bond, according to local NBC affiliate KETK-TV.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 27 Mar. 2025
For most of the 2000s, arXiv couldn’t hold on to more than a few developers.
—Sheon Han, Wired News, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold on
Verb
-
Now, only one question remains: Who will play JFK Jr.?—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Despite all of this downside, a certain category of restaurant has remained attractive to private equity - QSR franchises, which are driven by the potential for scalable growth and consistent revenue streams.—
Shimite Obialo,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Most waited until the following month to restore access, however, fearing repercussions.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2025
-
Those waiting for green cards, like Taylor, can also be removed.—
Dalia Faheid,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
As this powerful technology increasingly permeates law enforcement and private security operations, fundamental questions about privacy, consent and algorithmic bias continue to dominate public discourse.—
Lars Daniel,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Comments The story of Natalia Grace continues to captivate us, first as an Investigation Discovery docuseries and now as a Hulu drama, Good American Family, starring Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Four more games to stay healthy and keep making those shots.—
CJ Moore,
The Athletic,
23 Mar. 2025
-
Chronic insomnia — an inability to fall or stay asleep or waking up much earlier than desired — could lead to serious issues, including heart attacks and stroke.—
Andrew Torgan,
CNN,
23 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Whether painted, re-printed, or scanned, there are endless ways to take the words and handwriting on the card and turn them into something long lasting.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
23 Mar. 2025
-
Negotiations were supposed to begin in early February on the next phase of the truce, in which Hamas was called to free the remaining 59 hostages — including 35 who are believed to be dead — in exchange for additional Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.—
Landon Mion,
Fox News,
23 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hold on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20on. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share