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.
A co-worker had asked me to co-host a podcast with her; now that was on hold.
From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026
That will keep the central bank’s monetary policy on hold for the months ahead and possibly well into 2027.
From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026
Limited demand pressures and Middle East uncertainties should keep the central bank on hold in the near term, it added.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
There have been several rounds of talks, with the US acting as a mediator, but the process has been on hold since Donald Trump shifted his focus to the Middle East.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
“We think that you should put your dog-walking business on hold for now,” Mom says.
From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks
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.
