as in knows
to have a clear idea of
failed to cotton on to the fact that her senatorial campaign was going nowhere
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cottons (to or on to)
Verb
-
Coakley makes sure that her troop knows how to make change and how to politely speak to customers, even the difficult ones.—
Michael Butler,
Miami Herald,
30 Jan. 2026 -
The administration knows this, which is why ICE agents knock phones from people's hands, beat those who film them, and target documenters with arrest and violence.—
Binaifer Nowrojee,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The right funding shows that the founder understands the business, the market, and the commitment required to build something that lasts.—
William Jones,
AZCentral.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Even Apple itself understands this, which is why the iPhone maker offers security patches to those who want to stay on iOS 18 — up until a point.—
Kate O'Flaherty,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The District recognizes its responsibility to serve the CPS community with integrity.—
Asal Rezaei,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Mescal recognizes that his role is in support of the titanic performance given by Buckley.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Qualcomm’s chip can run Linux, along with Arduino software, and can even do computer vision, which deciphers what a camera sees and translates it into software.—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
7 Oct. 2025
-
With that base knowledge and his opponent’s game tape, Nolan analyzes wide receiver alignments and deciphers the offense's attack.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Opgenhaffen sees particular opportunity in modernizing the traditional South Asian eye look — updating the classic coal liner with plum shades and browns that can transition from day to evening.—
Ritu Upadhyay,
Footwear News,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Downs says maintenance issues are what his crew sees the most.—
Alysia Burgio,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In the end, A Guardian and a Thief is a story that comprehends hunger more deeply than the world that produces it.—
Tope Folarin,
The Atlantic,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The nearly colorless imagery really grasps the soul of the moment and the chill of our wintry days.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Until the governor’s office grasps the severity of the problem, and until the health insurers are tasked with stopping the fraud, Girand isn’t optimistic there’ll be much change.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Whenever there is uncertainty in the world, the Swiss franc appreciates, and this makes monetary policy more complicated for Swiss National Bank.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Ziesmer, who was playing his second game back after suffering an injury in football, also appreciates Evans’ vocal leadership during practices and games.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Cottons (to or on to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cottons%20%28to%20or%20on%20to%29. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
