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
After months of middle-of-the-night calls, Michael was now avoiding me on the phone.
—
Dan Beck, Variety, 21 Oct. 2025
Operators of another boat happened to be on the phone with the Coast Guard checking conditions in the inlet and reported the vessel, the Moonstruck, capsizing, according to The Coastland Times.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
The meeting came a day after Trump spoke on the phone with Putin and agreed to meet him soon in Hungary.
—Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Over the next couple of weeks, Termini and Paul spent hours on the phone with Jeanie, Pelinka, and Linda Rambis.
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 17 Oct. 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.
Dan Beck, Variety, 21 Oct. 2025
Operators of another boat happened to be on the phone with the Coast Guard checking conditions in the inlet and reported the vessel, the Moonstruck, capsizing, according to The Coastland Times.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
The meeting came a day after Trump spoke on the phone with Putin and agreed to meet him soon in Hungary.
—Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Over the next couple of weeks, Termini and Paul spent hours on the phone with Jeanie, Pelinka, and Linda Rambis.
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 17 Oct. 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 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share