"hol' up" means hol' up is aave for 'hold up' — used as an imperative to tell someone to wait, pause, or slow down. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.
hol' up
Hol' up is AAVE for 'hold up' — used as an imperative to tell someone to wait, pause, or slow down.
Etymology timeline
Born ~2000 · no dated citations yetLate-Millennial / Web 2.0 eraSee decade cohort →
Definitions
US
#1·Apr 28, 2026US
Hol' up is AAVE for 'hold up' — used as an imperative to tell someone to wait, pause, or slow down. The dropped 'd' reflects natural AAVE phonology and is always used in speech (or speech-mimicking text). It has spread widely through hip-hop, social media, and meme culture, where it typically signals confusion, disbelief, or a request for clarification before proceeding. 'Wait, hol' up' is a classic setup phrase in reaction content.
Hol' up — you're telling me they announced it and didn't even drop a trailer?
Origin: AAVE phonological reduction of 'hold up,' with the final consonant cluster 'ld' reduced to 'l' as standard in AAVE speech patterns. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.
For parents
"hol' up" means hol' up is aave for 'hold up' — used as an imperative to tell someone to wait, pause, or slow down. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.
For ESL learners
"hol' up" is informal English meaning hol' up is aave for 'hold up' — used as an imperative to tell someone to wait, pause, or slow down. It is used widely across English varieties. A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "hol' up is aave for 'hold up' — used as an imperative to tell someone to wait" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to assume "hol' up" can replace its standard equivalent in every register; keep it for spoken or casual situations and use the formal form in writing.
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US
#2·Apr 27, 2026US
(AAVE, always imperative) (to wait or delay).
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Other words near "hol' up" (H)
Hollywood showerHolocoughHolo-kitschholpholsholubtsiholyholy ballsholy basedholy catsHolycaustholy crap
Browse all slang words starting with H.