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Hold on meaning

Hold on means to wait for a short time, often on the phone. It can also mean to hold something tightly so you do not fall or drop it.

Check yourself: 3 questions

hold on

hold on · held · holding

B1No object+2 more meanings

Hold on, I’ll see if she’s in.

Hold on meanings and examples

3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.

  1. 1wait for a short time, often on the phone
  2. 2hold something tightly so you do not fall or drop it
  3. 3manage to continue in a difficult or dangerous situation
  1. 1

    Wait for a short time, often on the phone

    hold on

    B1No object

    • Hold on, I’ll see if she’s in.
    • Can you hold on for two minutes? I’m driving.
    • We held on for twenty minutes before someone answered.
  2. 2

    Hold something tightly so you do not fall or drop it

    hold on

    B2No object

    • Hold on to the rail. The boat is moving.
    • The little boy held on tightly to his balloon.
    • I couldn’t hold on any longer and let go of the rope.
  3. 3

    Manage to continue in a difficult or dangerous situation

    hold on

    C1No object

    • The climbers held on until the rescue team arrived.
    • Just hold on. Help is on the way.
    • Our team held on for a 1 to 0 win.
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Is hold on separable?

Hold on has no object. To name what you hold, add to: hold on to the handle. Hold on to can also mean keep: Hold on to your receipt.

Hold on! can also show surprise: Hold on, you said it was free! On the phone, put someone on hold means make them wait on the line.

Verb tenses for hold on

PresentI hold on · she holds on
Pastheld on
Present perfecthave held on
-ing formholding on

Common mistakes with hold on

What learners often say, and what to say instead.

  • Wrong: Hold on me a second.

    Right: Hold on a second.

    In the wait meaning, there is no object.

  • Wrong: Hold on the handle!

    Right: Hold on to the handle!

    Use hold on to before the thing you hold.

  • Wrong: Please hold on until five minutes.

    Right: Please hold on for five minutes.

    Use for with a length of time.

Synonyms and opposites of hold on

Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.

Similar

Opposite

Hold on quiz

Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.

  1. 1“Is Ms Kato there?” “___, I’ll put you through.”

  2. 2Choose the right sentence.

  3. 3“Hold on, this bill is for two people, not three.” What does hold on show?

More phrasal verbs with hold

5 phrasal verbs start with hold. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.

Test yourself on holdTake the full test

Hold on FAQ

Questions people ask about hold on.

What is the difference between hold on and hang on?

For wait and hold tightly, they mean the same. Hang on is a bit more informal and common in UK speech.

What does hold on to mean?

It means hold something tightly, or keep it and not give it away: Hold on to your dreams.

What does on hold mean?

On the phone, on hold means waiting on the line, often with music. A plan on hold is stopped for now.

Use hold on in real conversations

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