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
  • Central Florida has long understood the power of storytelling.
    — Jack Kennedy, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026
  • In his fullest public argument yet about his thinking, Thiel and co-author Sam Wolfe write the figure of ultimate evil is best understood not as a monster or a tyrant but as a technocrat.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 18 July 2026
Definition of understood
Verb
  • The suit alleges those employees knew the warehouse constructed on the property in 2022 would be used for fireworks storage and operations but did not enforce applicable safety and environmental requirements.
    — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2026
  • When the requests started piling up into the 100s, Vraa knew he on to something.
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Definition of knew
Verb
  • 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
  • The signature was deciphered with the help of AI, and specialists at auction house Lyon & Turnbull were able to confirm that Cadell was the artist.
    — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 20 June 2026
Definition of deciphered
Verb
  • However, funding for surveillance and response capacity remains widely recognized as a cornerstone for effective outbreak control.
    — Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 24 July 2026
  • The national chain is recognized for its diverse customizable drink menu and bubbly customer service.
    — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 23 July 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
  • Perhaps the problem of art in the time of climate change is not that its subjects are too immense to be grasped.
    — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
  • The fans could not have grasped the kind of threat Walker was to Schwarber in that final round.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of grasped
Verb
  • Your charitable involvement with friends or groups will be appreciated.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 20 July 2026
  • While the non-prerecorded vocals were appreciated, his ballad felt oddly shoehorned into what was otherwise a vigorous, energetic halftime.
    — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 19 July 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)
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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 25 Jul. 2026.

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