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
Kizer – their father – was on the phone with her and overheard parts of the spat.
—
Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
New trailer for ‘The Madison’ The trailer opens with Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell’s characters talking on the phone.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Feb. 2026
Her solution to having some time to talk to her friends on the phone in the evening?
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 23 Feb. 2026
These days, Ava mostly talks on the phone to her grandparents, who all live out of state.
—Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 23 Feb. 2026
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.
Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
New trailer for ‘The Madison’ The trailer opens with Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell’s characters talking on the phone.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Feb. 2026
Her solution to having some time to talk to her friends on the phone in the evening?
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 23 Feb. 2026
These days, Ava mostly talks on the phone to her grandparents, who all live out of state.
—Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 23 Feb. 2026
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 1 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
