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
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.
The next morning my father-in-law knocks on my door telling me that the Yankees are on the phone. Mac Engel august 3, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Aug. 2025 But then again, neither, necessarily, is Adolescence, or the stuff your kids see on the phone. Jeremy Dauber, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2025 Even Lucas Perri, United’s newest Brazilian of barely 48 hours standing, was on the phone to his compatriot in the dead of the German night on Sunday to convince him of the switch. Beren Cross, New York Times, 31 July 2025 The employee works in the finance department and was on the phone with colleagues when the shooting occurred and told those on the phone to stay safe, The Athletic reported. Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for on the phone

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Cite this Entry

“On the phone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20phone. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

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