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
Phrases
hold on to
: to maintain possession of or adherence to

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 Created by the Miss Universe Organization, which was founded by Catalina Swimwear, the first Miss USA pageant was held on June 28, 1952, in Long Beach, Calif. Renan Botelho, WWD, 5 Aug. 2024 Miss Michigan Alma Cooper was announced as the winner of the annual pageant, which was held on Sunday, Aug. 4, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Athena Sobhan, Peoplemag, 5 Aug. 2024 Fox News has made a pitch for a debate to be held on September 17 in Pennsylvania moderated by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 4 Aug. 2024 The Bolivarian revolution has failed in all of its promises, except for holding on to power, while the regime has become little more than a military dictatorship with a civilian figurehead. Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hold on 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hold on.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of hold on was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near hold on

Cite this Entry

“Hold on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hold%20on. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.

Kids Definition

hold on

verb
1
: to keep a hold
2

More from Merriam-Webster on hold on

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!