hold questions

USAGE SUMMARY

It is not necessarily incorrect, but it may not be the clearest or most commonly used phrase.
"Hold questions" could be interpreted as a polite way to ask for the audience to save their questions until a designated time, or it could mean physically holding questions in one's mind without asking them. To avoid confusion, it may be better to use a phrase like "questions will be addressed later" or "please refrain from asking questions until the end of the presentation." Example: "Before we move on to the next topic, let's hold questions until the end so we can address them all together."

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Do you let people interrupt as you go or ask evaluators to hold questions till the end?

The Guardian

We do this simply by allowing the mind to quieten and to then hold questions for it, without searching for answers.

Forbes

Maybe the words we place in all caps and underline twice are important not because they are answers, but because they hold questions.

Huffington Post

Marriage is a legal contract, although an anomalous one (see 4.1); as the idea of it as a contract has taken hold, questions have arisen as to how far its obligations should be subject to individual choice.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Mr. Santiago-Hudson, Ms. Merkerson and Mr. Nelson will hold question-and-answer sessions after their films.

The New York Times

In recent months the cardinal has traveled throughout the 4,700-square-mile 4,700-square-mile 4,700-square-mileregions carchdioceseiates, to dine whichlocal prissts andividedquestintoand-answeregionsons with lay people.

The New York Times

A portfolio constructed without guidelines creates a need for continual re-evaluation of the buy, sell or hold question for each position.

Forbes

In a bid to boost attendances, manager Mikey Harris and his players will be visiting local schools to hold question and answer sessions - and hand out complimentary tickets to pupils.

BBC

Huntington Beach sued the state over Senate Bill 54, the 2017 legislation that greatly limited whom state and local law enforcement agencies can hold, question and transfer at the request of federal immigration authorities.

Los Angeles Times

That prospect holds questions far beyond how much biodiversity will remain, and what the temperature will be.

The New York Times

A disciplined electoral strategy will be built around communicating a few core policies effectively much as Labour did before 1997.The centre holdsQuestions, however, remain.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider your audience and the formality of the situation. While "hold questions" is acceptable, alternatives like "defer questions" or "save questions for the end" might be more appropriate in certain contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "hold questions" if you intend to dismiss questions entirely. This phrase implies a temporary delay, not a complete rejection of inquiries.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hold questions" functions as a verb phrase where "hold" acts as a transitive verb and "questions" is the direct object. This construction conveys the action of postponing or reserving questions for a later time. Ludwig examples confirm its use in contexts where managing the flow of inquiries is important.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Wiki

8%

Encyclopedias

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "hold questions" is a moderately common and generally acceptable way to suggest postponing inquiries. Ludwig AI points out that, while not incorrect, it may not be the clearest phrasing, with alternatives like "defer questions" or "save questions for later" potentially offering greater precision. Its usage spans across news, science, and business contexts, indicating a relatively neutral register. While "hold questions" effectively conveys the intent of delaying inquiries, clarity and context are key to ensure the message is accurately received.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

put questions on hold

Mirrors the original phrase but may sound slightly more idiomatic.

defer questions

Replaces "hold" with "defer", indicating a postponement to a later time.

postpone questions

Similar to defer, but emphasizes a temporary delay in addressing questions.

delay questions

Indicates a slowing down or putting off of questions until later.

save questions for later

Suggests reserving questions for a subsequent part of a conversation or presentation.

keep questions pending

Implies that questions will be addressed, but are not answered immediately.

reserve questions

Similar to save, but might imply a more formal setting.

address questions later

Shifts the focus to providing answers at a future point.

table questions

A more formal way to postpone questions, often used in meeting contexts.

delay inquiries

Synonymous to questions, this refers to official investigations.

FAQs

How can I use "hold questions" in a sentence?

You can use "hold questions" to suggest postponing inquiries until a later time, such as "Let's hold questions until the end of the presentation" or "Please hold questions until we've covered all the key points".

What can I say instead of "hold questions"?

You can use alternatives like "defer questions", "postpone questions", or "save questions for later" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "holding questions" instead of "hold questions"?

The phrase "holding questions" is grammatically sound, but it may sound less direct than "hold questions." The choice depends on the specific context and desired level of formality.

What's the difference between "hold questions" and "address questions later"?

"Hold questions" focuses on the act of postponing inquiries, while "address questions later" emphasizes the future provision of answers. Both imply that questions will be answered eventually.