Meaning trap
hold on
persist despite difficulty
to continue trying or not give up, especially when facing challenges or adversity.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to continue trying or not give up, especially when facing challenges or adversity.
'hold on' also has the more basic meaning 'wait briefly'; this is the advanced sense.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- Despite the setbacks, she managed to hold on and eventually completed her degree.resilience
- In times of economic uncertainty, it is crucial for small businesses to hold on and adapt to changing circumstances.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: hold on (to something/someone)
WrongHold on yourself, help is coming.
RightHold on, help is coming. / Just hold on.
This sense is intransitive — 'hold on' (= endure), with no reflexive object.
Patternhold on (to something/someone)
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Hold on' naturally means keep going through hardship. 'Persevere until assistance arrived' is formal.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
hold ona bit longertill morningsomehowin there
Don't confuse it
This sense is figurative and refers to not giving up, unlike the B1 sense, which simply means to wait briefly. Here, 'hold on' is about enduring or persisting, not pausing.
Related
- hold on (wait briefly) — 'hold on' also has the more basic meaning 'wait briefly'; this is the advanced sense.