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.
The court refused, but the case is currently on hold pending the companies' appeal against that decision.
From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026
Such exercises also serve as a signal to Washington that Taiwan is committed to defending itself and deserves U.S. support, with a $14 billion U.S. arms package currently on hold.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
Other major central banks, including the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England, have so far kept rates on hold as they assess the fallout from the conflict.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
Companies have learned to live with the uncertainty of AI changes, tariffs and war, and see less need to put their plans on hold.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
The women made sandwiches, cakes, and tea and chattered in the kitchen while the children played, and this is how the autumn passed, with her life arrested, on hold.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
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.
