hang on

Meaning

This is an informal phrasal verb used to ask someone to wait for a short time, similar to 'wait a minute'. It can also mean to hold onto something tightly, but in daily conversation, it almost always refers to waiting. Because it is casual, it is best used with friends, family, or close coworkers.

Examples

• Hang on a second, I forgot to lock the front door.

  Hang on a second, I forgot to lock the front door.

• Can you hang on? I have another call coming through.

  Can you hang on? I have another call coming through.

• Hang on, let me write down that phone number before I forget.

  Hang on, let me write down that phone number before I forget.

• If you can hang on for five minutes, I can give you a ride home.

  If you can hang on for five minutes, I can give you a ride home.

• Hang on, that doesn't sound right to me.

  Hang on, that doesn't sound right to me.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Please hang on me.

  ✓ Please hang on.

  'Hang on' is an intransitive phrasal verb when it means 'to wait' and cannot take a direct object pronoun like 'me'.

• ✗ Hang on the phone.

  ✓ Hold the line.

  'Hang up' means to end a call, whereas 'hang on' means to wait. To ask someone to wait on the phone, 'hold on' or 'hang on' is used without adding 'the phone' at the end.

Related Expressions

Practice

• ___, I need to tie my shoe before we keep walking.

  💡 Capitalized. A casual phrasal verb meaning to wait.

  Show answer

  Hang on

• Can you ___ for a minute while I check the schedule?

  💡 Lowercase. Two words.

  Show answer

  hang on