1
as in to happen
to take place
what in the world is going on in there?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to ramble
to talk at length without sticking to a topic or getting to a point
my, but Aunt Betty does go on about all of her aches and pains
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in idiot
a stupid person
an unfortunate tendency to call those who disagree with him "brainless goons"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
the crime boss threatened to send the goons after him if he squealed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of go on
ABC News, 19 Oct. 2025
Now, Tagovailoa will go on the road to play in awful conditions.
—Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
He’s accompanied by ace assassin, Louie (Gerard Butler, almost unrecognizable), and another goon, Lefty (Louis Cancelmi).
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for go on
Verb
Well, there are no committee hearings going on.
—ABC News, 19 Oct. 2025
Now, Tagovailoa will go on the road to play in awful conditions.
—Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
Noun
The rapper Killer Mike makes the most of his limited screen time as the no-nonsense publisher of a local tabloid that prints Lee’s more lowbrow, retaliatory material, including the mug shots and criminal histories of some goons who assaulted him.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
He’s accompanied by ace assassin, Louie (Gerard Butler, almost unrecognizable), and another goon, Lefty (Louis Cancelmi).
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for go on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for go on
Verb
-
The last time this happened in the Championship before this season was 2013-14, when Derby, Middlesbrough, Bolton Wanderers, Wednesday and Yeovil Town all failed to win any of their first five home matches.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
And while the end result was once again pretty anti-climactic, there were actually some other notable things happening in episode 5 of Survivor 49, so let’s make like Nate and MC on the sandbags and get to work.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Mitchell Summers rambled for 250 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, including an 80-yard score, while Jack Snyder threw for 147 yards and a TD while picking up 68 yards on the ground.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Kachina rambles for 5 miles but the most vibrant color is found on the first half of the hike.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
This haunting film was also his first collaboration with Hellboy’s Ron Perlman, who plays a thug out to get the beetle for his rich uncle.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2025
-
In The Big Lebowski, thugs mistake the titular slacker (Bridges) for the wealthy Jeffrey Lebowski, sending him on a wild investigation with his pal Walter (John Goodman) into a ransom plot involving Lebowski’s young wife (Tara Reid).—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
When New Jersey suddenly came down hard on business, neighbouring Delaware decided to rewrite its rulebook to scoop up companies fleeing the state.—
Jan Hammer,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
-
The bottom line is that when the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates, borrowing costs generally will come down; however, the offset is that the rate of return for checking and savings accounts will fall.—
Kevin Cerveny,
Kansas City Star,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Only a moron would cut the funding of an industry that actually brings revenue into the government’s pocket.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Seth Rollins gassed Bron up by saying Jey Uso thinks his dad is a loser and his uncle is a moron.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
She's been gone for over 20 years, and so to win this for a soap opera, playing a villain, is really wonderful.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Not to mention Elm Street introduced a villain for the ages in Freddy Krueger, an instant icon played by Robert Englund, whose charisma was strong enough to shine through even the thickest makeup.—
Gwen Ihnat,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Success doesn't rattle him, failure doesn't rattle him.—
Kyle McGovern,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
-
The use of CIDs – a legal tool that allows the government to gather information during a civil investigation – rattled corporate America.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
So, the parallel thing that I’ve been frustrated by recently is not just calling Trump stupid, but calling Trump voters stupid.—
Drew Broussard
May 22,
Literary Hub,
22 May 2025
-
Sometimes too stupid is actually smartski but sometimes is just stupid stupid.—
Caroline Downey,
National Review,
27 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Go on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/go%20on. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share