on the phone
idiom
1
: using a telephone to talk to someone
Can you see who's at the door? I'm on the phone.
I was on the phone with my sister until late last night.
2
British
: connected to a telephone system
How many households aren't on the phone?
Examples of on the phone in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Responders reached the original location based on the phone data, but there were no signs of Aldridge.
—
David Chiu, PEOPLE, 16 Dec. 2025
Another school staffer nearby was on the phone .
—Vera Lucia Pappaterra, Miami Herald, 15 Dec. 2025
Johnson appeared as a silhouette from behind a curtain and a voice on the phone throughout the song, emerging onto the stage at the end to give Allen a kiss.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 14 Dec. 2025
On a late October evening, an unrecognizable number appeared on the phone.
—Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the phone
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
David Chiu, PEOPLE, 16 Dec. 2025
Another school staffer nearby was on the phone .
—Vera Lucia Pappaterra, Miami Herald, 15 Dec. 2025
Johnson appeared as a silhouette from behind a curtain and a voice on the phone throughout the song, emerging onto the stage at the end to give Allen a kiss.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 14 Dec. 2025
On a late October evening, an unrecognizable number appeared on the phone.
—Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the phone
Cite this Entry
“On the phone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20phone. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share