8 Phrasal Verbs with Hold: Meanings, Examples & Exercises

Phrasal verbs are an essential part of everyday English, especially in spoken communication. Among them, phrasal verbs with HOLD are extremely common and can express ideas such as delaying, controlling, continuing, or resisting.

In this guide, you’ll learn the most important phrasal verbs with HOLD, their meanings, grammar notes, and real-life examples to help you use them naturally and confidently.

List of Common Phrasal Verbs with HOLD

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1. Hold up
2. Hold back
3. Hold down
4. Hold in
5. Hold off
6. Hold on
7. Hold out
8. Hold over

Phrasal Verbs with HOLD: Meaning and Examples

Hold up

🔊 Pronunciation: /həʊld ʌp/

📖 Meaning 1: To delay or slow down progress

📝 Example: The accident held up traffic for hours.

📖 Meaning 2: To rob someone or a place using force or threats

📝 Example: The bank was held up by armed robbers.

📖 Meaning 3: To present someone or something as an example

📝 Example: The teacher held up her work as a model for the class.

💡 Grammar Note:

• Type: Transitive
• Structure: Separable (hold up the traffic / hold the traffic up)

Hold back

🔊 Pronunciation: /həʊld bæk/

📖 Meaning 1: To restrain emotions or reactions

📝 Example: She tried to hold back her tears.

📖 Meaning 2: To prevent progress or development

📝 Example: Lack of funding held back the project.

📖 Meaning 3: To keep information secret

📝 Example: The company is holding back some details.

💡 Grammar Note:

• Type: Transitive
• Structure: Separable

Hold down

🔊 Pronunciation: /həʊld daʊn/

📖 Meaning 1: To keep something under control

📝 Example: We need to hold down costs.

📖 Meaning 2: To manage or keep a job

📝 Example: He can’t hold down a steady job.

💡 Grammar Note:

• Type: Transitive
• Structure: Separable

Hold in

🔊 Pronunciation: /həʊld ɪn/

📖 Meaning: To suppress feelings or reactions

📝 Example: He could hardly hold in his laughter.

💡 Grammar Note:

• Type: Transitive (object required)
• Structure: Separable

Hold off

🔊 Pronunciation: /həʊld ɒf/

📖 Meaning: To delay doing something

📝 Example: Let’s hold off making a decision.

💡 Grammar Note:

• Type: Intransitive / Transitive
• Structure: Inseparable

Hold on

🔊 Pronunciation: /həʊld ɒn/

📖 Meaning 1: To wait (very common in phone conversations)

📝 Example: Please hold on while I check.

📖 Meaning 2: To keep or continue believing

📝 Example: She held on to hope.

💡 Grammar Note:

• Type: Intransitive
• Structure: Inseparable

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Hold out

🔊 Pronunciation: /həʊld aʊt/

📖 Meaning 1: To endure or resist

📝 Example: The soldiers held out for weeks.

📖 Meaning 2: To refuse in order to get something better

📝 Example: She’s holding out for a higher salary.

💡 Grammar Note:

• Type: Intransitive / Transitive
• Structure: Inseparable

Hold over

🔊 Pronunciation: /həʊld ˈəʊvə/

📖 Meaning: To postpone or extend something

📝 Example: The show was held over for another week.

💡 Grammar Note:

• Type: Transitive
• Structure: Inseparable

Dialogue Examples with Phrasal Verbs with HOLD

Dialogue 1

A: Why is the meeting delayed again?
B: They decided to hold off until the manager arrives.

A: Should we cancel it if he’s late?
B: No, let’s hold on a bit longer. He should be here soon.

Dialogue 2

A: What caused the traffic this morning?
B: A minor accident held up all the cars near the bridge.

A: I noticed you didn’t say much in the meeting.
B: Yes, I tried to hold back my opinion to avoid an argument.

Exercises with Answers

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the phrasal verbs.

(hold up, hold back, hold off, hold on, hold over)

1. The accident ________ traffic for more than two hours.
2. She tried to ________ her anger during the discussion.
3. Let’s ________ making a final decision until tomorrow.
4. The show was ________ for another week due to its popularity.
5. Please ________ while I transfer your call.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct phrasal verb.

1. The heavy rain ________ our flight for several hours.
   a) held on
   b) held up
   c) held back
2. He wanted to complain, but he decided to ________.
   a) hold off
   b) hold back
   c) hold over
3. The manager asked us to ________ until she finished the call.
   a) hold on
   b) hold up
   c) hold off
4. Because of positive reviews, the movie was ________ for an extra week.
   a) held back
   b) held on
   c) held over

Answer Key

Exercise 1

• held up
• hold back
• hold off
• held over
• hold on

Exercise 2

• b) held up
• b) hold back
• a) hold on
• c) held over 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Is “hold up” separable?
A: Yes. You can say hold up the traffic or hold the traffic up.

Q: Is “hold on” formal?
A: No. It’s extremely common in spoken English, especially on the phone.

Conclusion

Phrasal verbs with HOLD are powerful tools for expressing control, delay, and persistence. Mastering them will significantly improve your fluency and comprehension.

📥 Download the PDF: Phrasal Verbs with HOLD

👉 Continue learning with phrasal verbs with Keep and phrasal verbs with GET.