to hold on

Examples

• All

• Okay, hold on a minute.

  Double Indemnity (1944)

• Oh my God, hold on, did you see that?

• I just want to say just hold on, just just thank you.

  Theo Von

• Oh, hold on a minute, hold on, hold on, hold on.

• How was I to know we were gonna ... hold on, let me just check in with my cousin.

  Fiction book (1993)

• Hold on, I have something coming up.

  The Front Page (1974)

• You're welcome to return the items to us, or if you wanna hold on to them-

  Return to Sender (2022)

• I think it would feel strange to hold on to somebody's arm all the time.

  Academic text (2000)

• You won't be able to hold on if your hands are tied.

  Fiction book (1993)

• Hold on, you can practice here, and we've got a wonderful life here.

  Of Things Past (2023)

Synonyms

W

to wait

vsto hold on

∞ 1.0

To stay in one place or delay action until something happens

is a very short conversational pause rather than a long delay

H

to hang on

vsto hold on

• Informal

362 3.0

To stay on the phone and wait

is more general and also used for brief pauses in talk

P

to pause

vsto hold on

346 1.0

Stop for a short time before continuing

focuses specifically on brief pauses in talk or during calls

H

to hold off

vsto hold on

78 3.8

To wait before doing something

refers to a very short pause, often during conversation or calls

H

to hold on a second

vsto hold on

• Informal

75 1.2

Ask someone to wait for a short time

is a general short request to pause in conversation or on calls

H

to hang tight

vsto hold on

• Informal

22 7.4

Wait patiently and stay calm during a delay

is similar but often used for very short conversational pauses

H

to hold that thought

vsto hold on

• Informal

21 6.7

Ask someone to wait before saying more about an idea

is a shorter pause request used in talk or on the phone

S

to stay on the line

vsto hold on

18 3.0

To remain connected by phone while you wait for help

is used more broadly to pause briefly in conversation or on calls

H

to hold the line

vsto hold on

14 3.7

To wait on the phone without hanging up

can be used for calls but also for brief spoken pauses

H

to hold the phone

vsto hold on

• Informal

8 8.2

Tell someone to wait so you can check or explain something

serves as a short general request to wait in a conversation

H

to hold one's horses

vsto hold on

• Informal

1 7.2

Tell someone to wait and be patient

is used for brief waiting rather than slowing overall action

Antonyms

C

to continue

∞ 1.0

To keep doing something without stopping

How Long

to hold the phone

• Informal

8 8.2

to hang on

• Informal

111 3.4

to hold on

• Informal

∞ 1.3

to hold on a second

• Informal

75 1.2

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology