as in to know
to have a clear idea of
failed to cotton on to the fact that her senatorial campaign was going nowhere
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cotton (to or on to)
Verb
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Peaceful but active, a place where everyone knows everyone and, mostly, everyone cares for everyone else.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Jan. 2026 -
All of these parks have been known to their communities for their criminal activity and for those of us who grew up playing at these parks, there was never a hint that life could be otherwise.—
Rafael Perez,
Daily News,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Even though just three can alert to an emergency, many more are needed to understand what is behind those emergencies.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Jan. 2026
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Those specifics aside, more stunningly, researchers discovered that these brave, early explorers of new worlds demonstrated a different way of moving than had been previously understood.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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So, the thinking went, every costume, prop, and line reading is there for a reason, infinite symbolism scattered across the frame for anyone determined enough to decipher it.—
Lane Brown,
Vulture,
17 Dec. 2025
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By building out a picture of the whales’ health, habits and diet, researchers are deciphering the many ways humans impact their lives and guiding conservation actions that may mean life or death for the orcas.—
Kelso Harper,
Scientific American,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Police later issued a bulletin, and a Chicago police officer who had encountered Thurman just days earlier recognized him.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
16 Jan. 2026
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Josselyn used that grant to go into schools to train teachers, staff and teens on how to recognize signs of a mental health crisis and how to respond, Resko said.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But, the aide said, the President would see me first.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
15 Jan. 2026
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In live video, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov can be seen in their suits woring on tasks, but not yet in their seats.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And only by comprehending the Star Eaters will Ro also comprehend his part in their potential destruction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Jan. 2026
-
The sky served up no shortage of spectacle in 2025 —from lunar liaisons, solar prominences and fleeting meteor showers, to aurora and nebula scenes that unfold on a scale almost too massive for the human mind to comprehend.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
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DiCaprio's enthusiasm in the clip was appreciated by fans.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
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From gentle cleansers to serums that tackle fine lines and wrinkles, all ages (even my 20-something self) would appreciate her picks.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Americans can understand complex information and grasp the importance of watching trend lines.—
Deborah L. Birx,
STAT,
5 Jan. 2026
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Ideological innovation within the movement has only accelerated since 2016, leaving political scientists, pundits, and an elite liberal public struggling to grasp MAGA both past and present.—
Jason Blakely,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Cotton (to or on to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cotton%20%28to%20or%20on%20to%29. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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