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
Debbie said the couple’s youngest son, who is 18 years old, was able to briefly speak to his dad on the phone after receiving a 911 alert from Brad’s phone.
—
Abigail Adams, People.com, 6 July 2025
The app is invisible and undetectable on the phone.
—ArsTechnica, 3 July 2025
Brittany was able to get a few of them on the phone on Monday to talk about their experiences.
—Kaitlin Lange, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
The governor had already spoken publicly about talking to Trump on the phone late in the night on June 6 in California, which was early June 7 for Trump on the East Coast.
—Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the phone
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Abigail Adams, People.com, 6 July 2025
The app is invisible and undetectable on the phone.
—ArsTechnica, 3 July 2025
Brittany was able to get a few of them on the phone on Monday to talk about their experiences.
—Kaitlin Lange, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
The governor had already spoken publicly about talking to Trump on the phone late in the night on June 6 in California, which was early June 7 for Trump on the East Coast.
—Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 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 21 Jul. 2025.
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