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

Summer nights, by contrast, tend to hang onto humidity, leaving the sky hazy and washed out. —Michael D'estries, Travel + Leisure, 1 Jan. 2026

One strong gust of wind can be enough to flip one of these trailers onto its side. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 1 Jan. 2026

In a bit that must have taken quite a bit of rehearsal, the milk cartons danced in unison to the song until a larger milk carton appeared above the stage that dumped a sheet of milk onto them, freeing the dancers from the containers. —Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 1 Jan. 2026

The first meteor shower of 2026 is known for its bright fireballs and bolides—large meteors that explode in the atmosphere in dramatic fashion, sometimes raining meteorites onto Earth below. —Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2026

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