# hold out

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/hold-out
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To wait, or refuse in hopes of getting something better (from a negotiation, etc.)

## Examples

- He'll hold out for a better offer.
- The workers decided to hold out for higher wages, even though the strike was costing them money.
- Despite pressure from her agent to sign immediately, the young author chose to hold out, confident that a larger publisher would eventually bid for her manuscript.

## Origin

From *hold* and *out*, recorded from the mid-16th century. The phrasal verb functions as a routine Germanic compound, combining the primary verb of containment with the adverb of extension.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.