on the air
idiom
variants
or less commonly on air
of a radio or television station, program, etc.
: broadcasting or being broadcast
The interview will be on the air tomorrow.
an interview being shown on air
Examples of on the air in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After a 14-year lay-off, beloved animated sitcom King of the Hill was back on the air on Monday night (Aug. 4) when the rebooted show made its debut on Hulu.
—
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 5 Aug. 2025
Here is more on the air quality in Michigan:
How bad is the air in the Upper Peninsula right now?
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Late last month, CBS announced that The Late Show With Stephen Colbert would conclude next May, ending the franchise — which began with David Letterman in 1993 — after 33 years on the air.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
To play songs on the air, radio stations must fork over music licensing fees that have traditionally been paid for by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the nonprofit that helps fund public radio and TV.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the air
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Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 5 Aug. 2025
Here is more on the air quality in Michigan:
How bad is the air in the Upper Peninsula right now?
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Late last month, CBS announced that The Late Show With Stephen Colbert would conclude next May, ending the franchise — which began with David Letterman in 1993 — after 33 years on the air.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
To play songs on the air, radio stations must fork over music licensing fees that have traditionally been paid for by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the nonprofit that helps fund public radio and TV.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the air
Cite this Entry
“On the air.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20air. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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