# hold out on

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hold-out-on
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to keep information or something else from someone who has a right to know it.

For teachers: to withhold information, money, or a decision from an interested party, often to gain a strategic advantage or maintain a secret.

## Examples

- Don't hold out on me; tell me what she said.
- The witness was clearly holding out on the police regarding the suspect's whereabouts during the night of the crime.
- The union leaders suspected the management was holding out on the true profit margins to avoid a significant wage increase during negotiations.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He is holding out me." but "He is holding out on me." — the preposition 'on' is essential to connect the action to the person being deprived of the information.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a person as the object; implies a level of secrecy or unfairness.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'keep from' which is more general; 'hold out on' often implies the person being kept in the dark is being treated unfairly or is being teased.

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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.