hold on
Britishverb
-
to maintain a firm grasp
she held on with all her strength
-
to continue or persist
-
(foll by to) to keep or retain
hold on to those stamps as they'll soon be valuable
-
to keep a telephone line open
interjection
-
Also, hold on to . Maintain one's grip, cling, as in Hold on to your hat in this wind , or The early Christians held on to their beliefs despite strong opposition . [Early 1500s]
-
Continue to do something, persist, as in Please hold on for a while longer . [Late 1800s]
-
Stop, wait, as in Hold on! We can't go past this gate . [Mid-1800s]
-
Remain on a telephone line, as in If you can hold on a minute I'll go and find her . [Late 1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For now, Laffer Tengler plans to hold on to its home-builder stocks but not add more, he said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
Moynihan has since cemented his hold on the bank, with a turnaround that stabilized and de-risked the bank after the 2008-09 financial crisis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
It’s a catchy idea that explains why figures like Peter Parker, Luke Skywalker and Harry Potter have a lasting hold on their fans in ways that other heroes don’t.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
“I’m holding space for people’s pain, but also we’re able to hold on to the hope that our faith gives us, that’s strengthening us,” she said, tearing up.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
“Now hold on, let’s not get melodramatic,” Abuelita said.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
