“Put on Hold” vs. “Kept on Hold”: What’s the Difference?

Jun 10, 2023
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The difference between “put on hold” and “kept on hold”

  • The main difference between the two phrases is that "put on hold" is a temporary suspension, while "kept on hold" is more prolonged and ongoing.
  • Another difference is that "put on hold" is often initiated by the person receiving the request, while "kept on hold" could be a result of external circumstances or the person responsible for completing the task.
  • A final difference is that there may be a set time limit for being "put on hold," while there is no limit for "kept on hold."
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What is the definition of “put on hold” and “kept on hold”?

Put on hold
  • "Put on hold" means to temporarily pause or delay something, such as a phone call, project, or task.
  • This suspension is usually initiated by the person receiving the request or the task's supervisor.
  • During this time, the matter is not being addressed or attended to.
Kept on hold
  • "Kept on hold" means to continue or prolong the pause or delay of something.
  • It could be due to unforeseen circumstances or a person's inability to finish a task.
  • Unlike "put on hold," this is an ongoing situation where the task or request is still pending.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Put on hold” is the more popular variant on the web.
More popular
Put on hold
14,200,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. I had to put on hold my plans to study abroad due to the pandemic.
  2. The customer service representative put me on hold for 30 minutes before answering my call.
  3. The project was put on hold until we received more funding.
Kept on hold
1,530,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. The issue with the company's software has been kept on hold for months now.
  2. The customer's complaint was kept on hold for hours before being addressed by the manager.
  3. Despite several inquiries, the decision on the merger was kept on hold by the board of directors.
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