on the dot

idiom

informal
: exactly at a particular time
She arrived at 3 o'clock on the dot.
I expect you to be here on the dot of 5.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web New mom Aberli Spear gave birth to daughter Judah Grace Spear on Feb. 22, 2022 (2/2/2022), at 2:22 a.m. on the dot. Jason Duaine Hahn, PEOPLE.com, 22 Feb. 2022 The Woleys returned at 10 on the dot, and Bryan gave me a ride home. Curtis Sittenfeld, The Atlantic, 16 July 2021 Later on, your bestie texts you at 8:08 p.m. on the dot (uh, weird). Brittany Beringer, Women's Health, 7 Apr. 2023 But my biggest mistake was betting the farm on the dot com boom. Scott King, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2021 Worthy also recorded his first 100-yard receiving game, hitting that number right on the dot while bringing in five of six targets. Nick Moyle, San Antonio Express-News, 25 Sep. 2021 Each of you should use a different color and write the price of the item on the dot. Washington Post, 6 Sep. 2021 Just then Dua appears, at 9 a.m. on the dot, makeup-free and wearing her long chocolate mane loose and parted in the middle. Jen Wang, Vogue, 10 May 2022 One family member wants to crank up the heat right away, while another insists on saving money by waiting until Nov. 1 on the dot. Dan Seitz, Popular Science, 11 Nov. 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'on the dot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near on the dot

Cite this Entry

“On the dot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20dot. Accessed 6 Jun. 2023.

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