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

Construction crews first showed up at the iconic arts institution on the afternoon of June 12, mounted scaffolding and and geared up to take down the president's name ‒ letter by letter ‒ from the sign on the building's facade. —Joey Garrison, USA Today, 13 June 2026

The hotel recently signed on as the first outside brand in Hilton’s Select by Hilton program, which Daly reads as validation that the compact model has an important place in the hotel ecosystem. —Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

Asked specifically if Israel has signed on, the official left the impression that Israel would be briefed and ultimately comply with commitments not to strike Lebanon. —Justin Fishel, ABC News, 12 June 2026

There were early signs on the runways that 2026 would be especially busy for the whimsical design. —Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 12 June 2026

Intel recently signed on as a partner and supplier. —Morgan Brennan,harriet Taylor, CNBC, 12 June 2026

Residents will see detour signs on how to bypass this closure. —Emily Harter, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026

Scholarships do not become a binding deal until they are signed on national letter of intent day. —Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026

Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin just signed on last summer. —Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 11 June 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