Phrasal verbs with HOLD are extremely common in everyday English, especially in spoken communication. They express important ideas such as delaying, controlling, continuing, resisting, and refusing. These expressions appear frequently in business conversations, negotiations, and daily discussions.
In this guide, you’ll learn the most important phrasal verbs with HOLD, their precise meanings, grammar rules, and real-life examples to help you use them naturally and confidently in any situation.
List of Common Phrasal Verbs with HOLD
Here are the eight most essential phrasal verbs with hold that you’ll encounter in daily conversations:
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Hold up
Hold back
Hold down
Hold in
Hold off
Hold on
Hold out
Hold over
Phrasal Verbs with HOLD: Meaning and Examples
Below is a comprehensive breakdown of each phrasal verb with hold, organized with clear meanings, real-world examples, and essential grammar rules.
Hold up
/həʊld ʌp/transitiveseparable
📖 1To delay or slow down progress.
The accident held up traffic for hours.
📖 2To rob someone or a place using force or threats.
The bank was held up by armed robbers.
📖 3To present someone or something as an example.
The teacher held up her work as a model for the class.
🔄 Synonyms:DelayRobPresent
Hold back
/həʊld bæk/transitiveseparable
📖 1To restrain emotions or reactions.
She tried to hold back her tears.
📖 2To prevent progress or development.
Lack of funding held back the project.
📖 3To keep information secret.
The company is holding back some details.
🔄 Synonyms:RestrainPreventConceal
Hold down
/həʊld daʊn/transitiveseparable
📖 1To keep something under control.
We need to hold down costs to remain competitive.
📖 2To manage or maintain a job.
He struggled to hold down a steady job.
🔄 Synonyms:ControlManageMaintain
Hold in
/həʊld ɪn/transitiveseparable
📖 To suppress or contain feelings or reactions.
He could hardly hold in his laughter.
🔄 Synonyms:SuppressContainStifle
Hold off
/həʊld ɒf/intransitive-transitiveinseparable
📖 1To delay or postpone doing something.
Let’s hold off making a decision until tomorrow.
📖 2To resist or defend against.
The team held off the attackers until reinforcements arrived.
🔄 Synonyms:DelayPostponeResist
The first five phrasal verbs with hold show how this verb expresses different aspects of control and management. “Hold up” describes delays and robberies, “hold back” involves restraint and prevention, “hold down” means management, and “hold off” conveys postponement or resistance. These expressions form the foundation of understanding hold’s versatility.
Hold on
/həʊld ɒn/intransitiveinseparable
📖 1To wait for a short time (very common in phone conversations).
Please hold on while I check that for you.
📖 2To keep or continue believing in something.
She held on to hope even in difficult times.
🔄 Synonyms:WaitMaintainPersist
Hold out
/həʊld aʊt/intransitive-transitiveinseparable
📖 1To endure or resist despite difficulty.
The soldiers held out for weeks against the siege.
📖 2To refuse to accept something in order to get something better.
She’s holding out for a higher salary.
🔄 Synonyms:EndureResistRefuse
Hold over
/həʊld ˈəʊvə/transitiveinseparable
📖 To postpone or extend something beyond its original time.
The show was held over for another week due to popular demand.
🔄 Synonyms:PostponeExtendProlong
PinEssential phrasal verbs with HOLD for everyday English communication
Common Mistakes with Phrasal Verbs with HOLD
Learners often confuse similar phrasal verbs with hold or misuse them. Here are three common mistakes and how to correct them:
❌ Wrong“Traffic will hold back for hours because of the accident.” (Wrong phrasal verb)
✅ Correct“Traffic will hold up for hours because of the accident.” (Correct—hold up means delay)
❌ Wrong“Can you hold on the phone line?” (Awkward and unusual word order)
✅ Correct“Can you hold on the line?” (Correct—idiomatically, we “hold on the line” in phone conversations)
❌ Wrong“He’s holding in for a better job offer.” (Wrong phrasal verb choice)
✅ Correct“He’s holding out for a better job offer.” (Correct—hold out means refuse/wait for something better)
Key Grammar Notes
Dialogue Example
💬 Office Conversation About Meeting Delays
A
Why is the meeting delayed again?
B
They decided to hold off until the manager arrives.
A
How long should we hold on?
B
Maybe another 15 minutes. Traffic held up his arrival.
A
I’ve been trying to hold back my frustration all day.
B
I understand. Let’s just hold together and stay positive.
In this dialogue, the phrasal verbs “hold off,” “hold on,” “hold up,” and “hold back” are used naturally to discuss meeting delays and workplace emotions.
Seeing these phrasal verbs in action is just the beginning of your mastery. Loved this lesson? There’s so much more to discover! Explore these related guides to keep building your vocabulary:
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