cottoned (to or on to)

verb

past tense of cotton (to or on to)
as in understood
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 cottoned (to or on to)
  1. understood
  2. knew
  3. deciphered
  4. recognized
  5. saw
  6. comprehended
  7. grasped
  8. appreciated
Verb
  • While these practitioners experimented, management thinkers articulated what the best of them already understood.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Nevertheless, being understood matters more than being technically correct today.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of understood
Verb
  • One page, on paper, taped inside the front cover of a book, written before anyone knew the full answer and precisely because nobody did.
    — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Investigators said that all the teens knew one another but have not yet determined a motive for the killings, according to DeLand Police Chief Jason Umberger.
    — Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of knew
Verb
  • Uncertainty notwithstanding, the longevity world has glommed onto the notion that the vaginal microbiome is some kind of exotic tealeaf that can be deciphered—and perfected by purchasing the right supplements.
    — Sarah DiGregorio, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026
  • Its successor script, Linea B, was also a mystery until it was deciphered in 1952 by an amateur linguist and cryptographer Michael Ventris with the help of classicist John Chadwick, both building on patterns in the script first identified by classicist Alice Kober.
    — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 23 June 2026
Definition of deciphered
Verb
  • Kenya has until recently been widely recognized for rebuilding its elephant population from historic lows to more than 36,000 individuals by reducing poaching and protecting elephants.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Travel + Leisure’s 2026 World’s Best Awards recognized several standout properties, with Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico, earning the top spot among international wellness retreats for more than a decade.
    — Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of recognized
Verb
  • In the book, Covey tells the story of a man relentlessly sawing down a tree.
    — Tony Gambill, Forbes.com, 2 June 2026
  • Jordan Walker, sawed off by a 96 mph sinker, lined out softly.
    — Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 19 Apr. 2026
Definition of saw
Verb
  • The frames keep changing regardless of how much the viewer has noticed or comprehended.
    — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
  • The company expects a little more of an impact in its Q2, but Cook said it’s fully comprehended in the above Street outlook of 48% to 49%.
    — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
Definition of comprehended
Verb
  • The Child has placed his foot on the basket of yarns and has grasped the yarnwinder and gazes attentively at the four spokes that are in the form of a cross.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • But some people think Big Mama grasped the song’s meaning better than Elvis did.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of grasped
Verb
  • Vaulted ceilings, oversized windows, and a very mid-century modern common area create a zen backdrop that will be particularly appreciated after a long drive.
    — Kelsey Mulvey, Vogue, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The lines form images of animals that can be fully appreciated only from planes or viewing towers.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of appreciated
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

cottoned (to)
cottoned (to or on to)
cottoning (to)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cottoned (to or on to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cottoned%20%28to%20or%20on%20to%29. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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