sign on

verb

signed on; signing on; signs on

intransitive verb

1

: to engage oneself by or as if by a signature

signed on to the new project

2

: to announce the start of broadcasting for the day

sign-on

ˈsī-ˌnȯn 

-ˌnän

noun

Synonyms of sign on

• sign up (for)
• join
• enter
• enroll (in)
• rejoin
• enlist (in)

Examples of sign on in a Sentence

I signed on for the crew team simply as a lark

Recent Examples on the Web

Brady played with the Patriots from 2000 to 2019 before signing on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026

Time will tell whether Tilly’s will hang its rooster sign on a second building. — Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026

When the time came to renew the lease for the ghost kitchen, the brothers decided instead to sign on with a broker and go brick and mortar. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Other television outlets whose crews were present, according to signs on their tripods and cameras, were NewsNation, Newsmax, Right Side Broadcasting Network, One America News and LindellTV. — Jocelyn Noveck, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sign on

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon

Kids Definition

sign on

verb

(ˈ)sī-ˈnȯn, 

-ˈnän

1

: to hire oneself by or as if by a signature

signed on as a member of the crew

2

: to announce the beginning of broadcasting