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

More than 70 companies have also signed on to contribute to employees’ children’s accounts, the White House said, following early commitments from firms like JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America. — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026

Antonio Banderas has signed on to star as Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés in Cortés, a feature film directed by French filmmaker Paul Mignot from a screenplay by Nicholas Kazan. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026

States that signed on to a 1976 agreement are required to provide information on launches by governments and private companies as well as the general function of the space object, but are not required to provide details on their purpose. — Stephanie Liechtenstein, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026

The same tech company figures who rushed to donate millions to Trump after his election have quickly signed on. — Adi Robertson, The Verge, 9 Oct. 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