onto

1 of 2

preposition

on·​to ˈȯn-(ˌ)tü 

ˈän-

1

: to a position on

We climbed onto the roof.

Turn left onto Fifth Avenue.

2

: in or into a state of awareness about

put me onto your methods

was onto something that should have been pursued further

—Bosley Crowther

3

—used as a function word to indicate a set each element of which is the image of at least one element of another set

a function mapping the set S onto the set T

onto

2 of 2

adjective

: mapping elements in such a way that every element in one set is the image of at least one element in another set

a function that is one-to-one and onto

Examples of onto in a Sentence

Preposition

We climbed onto the building's roof.

The book fell onto the floor.

The water spilled onto the floor.

The cowboy leaped onto his horse.

Transfer the data onto a disk.

Turn left onto Third Street at the traffic light.

Recent Examples on the Web

Preposition

The storm made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as a monstrous Category 5 hurricane before moving onto to Cuba on Wednesday and later, the Bahamas. —Avery Schmitz, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025

The MCPura segues onto the Autostrada, backdropped by the Apuan Alps that loom unusually close to this ocean coast and sugar-sand beaches. —Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2025

Woody Guthrie used to wander onto her family’s porch and sing with her dad. —Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025

Fresh off her record-breaking rookie year in the WNBA, Paige Bueckers is looking to make her leap onto the big screen, as sources tell Deadline she is attached to star in the sports pic Jess & Pearl. —Justin Kroll, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Preposition

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1942, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing onto

• build onto
• fasten onto
• get on/onto the subject of
• get onto
• give onto
• latch onto
• lock onto
• map onto
• onto something
• project onto
• stumble across/on/onto/upon
• voted on/onto

Kids Definition

onto

preposition

on·​to

ˌȯn-tə,

ˌän-;

ˈȯn-tü,

ˈän-

1

: to a position on or against

leaped onto the horse

climbed onto the roof

2

: in a state of knowing about or becoming aware of

I'm onto their little game