on hold
Idioms-
In a state of temporary interruption, but not disconnection, during a telephone call, as in While I was on hold, I checked my calendar for when I could schedule a meeting , or They had to put me on hold while they looked up my account . [c. 1960]
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In a state of postponement or delay, as in When she was transferred, they had to put their romance on hold . This figurative usage is a broadened sense of def. 1. [ Colloquial ; c. 1970]
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.
Oregon’s law is on hold while a lawsuit by the National Assn. of Wholesaler-Distributors works its way through the courts.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
The project - which Hegseth said earlier the same day was part of a "laser-focused strategy" - had been put on hold.
From BBC • May 6, 2026
But 50 hours later the president posted that the mission was being put on hold "for a short period of time".
From BBC • May 6, 2026
“When I called 911, this is no exaggeration, I was on hold for 30 minutes before I got a person. Thirty full minutes,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
I felt as though my whole life was on hold right then.
From "Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings
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.
