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
Recent Examples on the Web
Fresh Fruit Fresh fruit is easy to keep on hand and provides natural sugars that raise blood glucose quickly.
—
Lindsey Desoto, Health, 8 Jan. 2026
Basically, just keep on doing your best.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 8 Jan. 2026
Just kept on playing and winning until Week 17 against Houston.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
The New Year fixture list keeps on chugging with a flurry of midweek games across Europe and, in Spanish football’s case, the Middle East.
—Jack Bantock, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
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Lindsey Desoto, Health, 8 Jan. 2026
Basically, just keep on doing your best.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 8 Jan. 2026
Just kept on playing and winning until Week 17 against Houston.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
The New Year fixture list keeps on chugging with a flurry of midweek games across Europe and, in Spanish football’s case, the Middle East.
—Jack Bantock, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for keep on
Cite this Entry
“Keep on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%20on. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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