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.
On hold: Apple has yanked the French-language thriller “The Hunt,” which was scheduled to premiere Dec. 3, amid allegations of plagiarism.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 30, 2025
On hold since March, this uptown branch of an Italian restaurant group has opened at 25 percent capacity for indoor dining, with additional outdoor seating.
From New York Times • Oct. 13, 2020
On hold: As the fallout from the scandal enters its second week, USC officials have started investigating students who may be linked.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2019
On hold | HUAWEI, a Chinese maker of telecoms equipment, has found Europe, by and large, a welcoming sort of place.
From Economist • May 16, 2013
On hold in such tanks, the lobsters are basically hibernating; no feeding is necessary.
From Washington Post
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.
