on the nose

phrase

1

a

: at or to a target point

the bombs landed right on the nose

b(1)

: on target : accurate

(2)

: accurately

2

: to win

—used of horse or dog racing bets

Examples of on the nose in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

It’s richly spiced on the nose, and the house profile leans toward cream soda loaded up with baking spices and orchard fruit. — David Thomas Tao, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

The official tasting notes describe aromas of caramel and vanilla on the nose, followed by sweet caramel, charred oak, and more vanilla on the palate, ending with a long, velvety caramel finish. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 16 July 2026

The frog in boiling water metaphor is just a little too on the nose. — Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026

The script, likewise, is often a little on the nose, often saying out loud what ought to be subtext and undercutting the rich sense of mystery that envelops the film right up until the big reveal. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 6 July 2026

Rhymes for on the nose

• agarose
• aliquots
• amigos
• anthracnose
• bottlenose
• buffaloes
• bungalows
• calicoes
• cameos
• commandos
• conversos
• decompose