keep on

phrasal verb

kept on; keeping on; keeps on
1
informal : to continue happening, doing something, working, etc.
The rain kept on throughout the day.
He talked and talked. At one point I thought he would keep on all night.
She kept on talking after I told her to be quiet.
2
: to continue to have (someone) as an employee
The chef was kept on even after the restaurant was sold.

Examples of keep on in a Sentence

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Detainees testified previously that lights were kept on overnight at the facility. Michael Loria, USA Today, 12 Nov. 2025 Richards, along with two fellow runners (played by Katy O’Brian and Please Don’t Destroy’s Martin Herlihy), must avoid the surveillance state’s ever-watchful eyes, stay hidden, keep on the move. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025 Carlsson was kept on a load-management plan for the first half of his rookie season. Eric Stephens, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025 Rainfall at levels that could start to replenish rivers is not expected for weeks yet and river levels are projected to keep on falling. Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for keep on

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Cite this Entry

“Keep on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%20on. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.

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