not on

phrase

British, informal

1

: not acceptable or proper

Cheating old ladies out of their savings just isn't on.

2

: not possible

I'm afraid that scheme's just not on.

Examples of not on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Always thaw chicken in the refrigerator or in cold water, not on a counter at room temperature. — Sheena Chihak, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Aug. 2026

If your knees ache on the way down a flight of stairs but not on the way up, the issue probably isn’t your knees. — Dana Santas, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026

Even so, historically star players’ greatest impact has been on the player-acquisition front, not on retaining players who aren’t immediate flight risks. — John Hollinger, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

The city’s sales tax sharing agreement with property owner Manley was not on the agenda, and no one tried to bring it up. — Terri Daxon, Oc Register, 20 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for not on

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon