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.
Seven other states’ plans to redraw maps have either been blocked or put on hold.
From Salon • Apr. 22, 2026
He put the investigation on hold shortly before the California Supreme Court halted it pending further review.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
With the conflict on hold, the price of oil has fallen 27% to $82 a barrel from a four-year high of nearly $113 a week and a half ago.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026
Money markets expect the ECB to keep rates on hold at the April meeting, according to LSEG.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
He asks if there are any rooms available for the night, but while he is on hold he hangs up.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
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.
