keep on hold

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "keep on hold" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used specifically to mean to delay or postpone something. For example, "We will have to keep the project on hold until we can secure more funding."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

During this period of discussion LU would continue to keep on hold all VS [voluntary severance] applications.

BBC

A federal appeals court on Monday agreed to keep on hold President Barack Obama's executive order on immigration -- nearly a year after he announced it as a backstop measure to Congress' failure to enact comprehensive immigration reform.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"That whole shift I virtually didn't do anything except just try to get open and Brownie just kept on holding on to that puck, tiring the other guys out," Martinez said.

Los Angeles Times

Some books you like to hold in your hands and keep on holding, and this is one of them.

Huffington Post

You can't keep on holding down the value of your currency, stealing our intellectual property, counterfeiting our products, selling them around the world, even into the United States.

The New York Times

Moore has the wit, the experience and the musical phrasing – an object lesson here for any aspiring ballerina – to hold back, and to keep on holding back.

The Guardian

And yes, even in the post-AOL acquisition world, we'll keep on holding them — though sadly, not until next year at a place and time to be determined.

TechCrunch

If they want to keep on holding their views, they ought to get better arguments for them instead.

Vice

To all my fellow information mixologists, keep on slinging information, keep on using your many skills, and keep on holding people in the center of everything that you do.

Huffington Post

Keep on holding the buttons until the Reset menu appears.

WikiHow

Also, when your touch screen gets too sensitive, keep on holding the button even if the message shows as it will automatically turn itself off.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "keep on hold" when you want to clearly communicate that a decision, project, or action is being deliberately delayed or suspended for a specific reason.

Common error

Avoid using "keep on hold" when a simple "hold" suffices. "Hold" generally implies a temporary pause, whereas "keep on hold" emphasizes a more prolonged or indefinite suspension.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "keep on hold" functions as a phrasal verb, acting as a predicate in sentences. It indicates an action of maintaining something in a suspended or delayed state, as supported by Ludwig AI's analysis.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Wiki

30%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "keep on hold" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrasal verb that means to deliberately delay or suspend something. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. It is most frequently found in news and media, wiki entries, and scientific publications. While it is generally neutral in tone, more formal or informal alternatives exist. When writing, ensure that you truly mean to indicate a deliberate and potentially prolonged suspension, rather than a simple pause. As demonstrated in the provided examples from Ludwig, the phrase is widely used to indicate the delay of projects, decisions, or actions pending further developments or conditions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

remain on hold

Emphasizes a continued state of being delayed or suspended.

stay on hold

Indicates a temporary suspension or postponement.

be kept on hold

Focuses on the action being performed on something to maintain its suspended state.

continue on hold

Highlights the ongoing nature of the suspension.

hold in abeyance

A more formal way of saying something is temporarily suspended.

put on ice

An informal way of saying something is delayed, often indefinitely.

suspend temporarily

Specifically indicates a temporary interruption or cessation.

defer

To postpone or delay to a future time.

shelve

To put aside or postpone consideration of something.

table

To postpone or put aside for future discussion.

FAQs

How can I use "keep on hold" in a sentence?

You can use "keep on hold" to indicate that something is being deliberately delayed. For example, "We will "remain on hold" with the marketing campaign until the budget is approved".

What's a more formal alternative to "keep on hold"?

A more formal alternative to "keep on hold" is to "hold in abeyance". This phrase is suitable for professional or academic contexts.

Is it better to say "keep on hold" or "put on hold"?

"Keep on hold" and "put on hold" are similar, but "keep on hold" implies a continuation of a previously initiated hold, whereas "put on hold" suggests initiating the delay. The choice depends on whether the item was already in a suspended state.

What does it mean to "keep something on hold"?

To "keep something on hold" means to deliberately postpone or suspend it, often while waiting for certain conditions to be met or for a later time.