HELD ON Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

held on

verb

past tense of hold on

as in remained

to remain indefinitely in existence or in the same state the ancient beliefs still held on in remote mountain villages

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in waited

to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something hold on a minute—it's not your turn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of held on Wiping cloths were held on prep tables and not in a chemical sanitizing solution. — Nwa Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026 The Bears dominated early and held on for a 31-23 victory on Sunday afternoon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. — Rod Beard, AJC.com, 18 Oct. 2026 Luckily, his heart held on long enough for doctors to rush him to an operating room and drain the fluid, saving his life. — Amiran Baduashvili, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026 Daily Sunrise Stretch classes, often held on the waterfront deck, are complimentary. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 The show was held on a Monday night in its first outing on Prime Video in 2022, and on a Thursday night the next three years. — Paul Grein, Billboard, 5 Oct. 2026 The defense even held on in perhaps the game’s most pivotal moment. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2026 In Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers played in their franchise-record ninth consecutive one-score game, but Minnesota (3-0) held on, 23-16, after batting down a desperate Hail Mary heave as time expired. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 Sep. 2026 Winston completed 12 of 18 passes for 117 yards, Holland intercepted Cam Ward with 17 seconds left and the Giants held on to beat the Tennessee Titans 12-7 on Sunday. — Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for held on

Verb

The initial concept for the solid-state transformer, which miniaturizes the magnetic core and surrounds it with power semiconductors, was patented in 1968 but largely remained a concept until the 2010s.

— Alex Pasternack, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Pavel Dorofeyev, the team’s most notable trade acquisition over the summer, came close on several occasions but remained stuck on two goals for the season.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of remained

Verb

Despite the warnings, the couple allegedly waited eight hours before seeking medical help when their daughter, Aurora Williams, began experiencing serious medical distress in May.

— Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
On New Year’s Eve 1999, while the world waited to see whether the Y2K bug would knock out computer systems at midnight, Tim Walsh was looking at an apartment near Times Square.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of waited

Verb

Brand has continued posting on streaming and posting on his social media channels during the legal proceedings.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
Alderman maintains that each of the defendants have continued to lie to protect themselves and believes there is evidence of satanic worship.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of continued

Verb

Javier Rezendez Rocha, who joined LADWP as an aide to electricians, was charged with 12 counts of felony vandalism in connection with the string of incidents that lasted from August 2025 to August 2026, according to a criminal complaint.

— James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Her departure follows middling reviews for her debut press briefing Tuesday that lasted just 14 minutes.

— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of lasted

Verb

The two genetic variants are also ancient, suggesting that the difference has persisted over evolutionary timescales.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Even where efforts to build democratic institutions have faltered, as after the Arab Spring, liberal ideas have nonetheless persisted and expanded.

— Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026