VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

hold attention

phrase·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌhəʊld əˈtenʃn/
US/ˌhoʊld əˈtenʃn/

Meanings

  1. phrasefixed phrase

    To keep someone interested and watching or listening for a period of time.

    Grammar: Often followed by an object: hold the audience's attention. Can also be used without an object: The film holds attention throughout.

    Patterns

    • hold someone's attention
    • hold the attention of someone
    • hold attention

    The teacher used stories to hold the children's attention.

    The first chapter really holds your attention.

    It is hard to hold attention in a long online meeting.

  2. phrasefixed phrase

    To remain the main subject that people are interested in or talking about.

    Grammar: Used without an object, often about news or a public issue: The scandal held attention for weeks.

    Patterns

    • hold attention for a time
    • hold public attention

    The election held attention for months.

    The story held national attention until the trial ended.

Common combinations

hold someone's attention
Good speakers know how to hold an audience's attention.
hold the attention of
The game held the attention of even the youngest players.
hold attention for hours
The documentary held attention for two full hours.
struggle to hold attention
The actor struggled to hold attention in the slow second act.
hold public attention
The case held public attention throughout the summer.

Synonyms and how they differ

captivate
Stronger and more literary; it means to attract and hold someone's attention completely, often by charm.
engage
Focuses on getting someone involved and interested, not just keeping them watching.
grip
Suggests very strong, almost unable-to-look-away attention; stronger than 'hold attention'.

Opposites

lose attentionbore

Word family

attention noun
The act of watching or listening carefully to something.
attentive adjective
Paying careful attention to someone or something.
attention-grabbing adjective
Designed to make people notice or pay attention immediately.

Commonly confused: hold attention or pay attention? hold attention or attract attention?

hold attention vs pay attention

This means to give your own attention to something, while 'hold attention' means to keep other people's attention.

hold attention vs attract attention

This means to make people notice you, often in a negative way, not to keep them interested over time.

Practice

Choose the correct phrase: The speaker used humor to ______ the audience's attention.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “hold attention”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words