on 1 of 3

1
2
as in against
in or into contact with don't lean on that ladder—you'll knock it over

Synonyms & Similar Words

on

2 of 3

adverb

1
as in forward
toward a point ahead in space or time we really must move on now if we're going to end this meeting before midnight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in along
toward or at a point lying in advance in space or time he's getting on in years and doesn't see or hear as well as he used to

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

on

3 of 3

adjective

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 on
Preposition
Meanwhile, United Airlines announced hundreds of cuts through early next week, including 168 on Saturday; 158 on Sunday; 190 on Monday and 269 on Tuesday. Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025 Make your vehicle visible to others both ahead of you and behind you by using your low-beam headlights since this means your taillights will also be on. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 Nov. 2025 This year, a replica of the Seneca Chief, which carried Clinton in 1825, set out from Buffalo on the canal. JSTOR Daily, 26 Oct. 2025 Some polls currently place Harris as an outside to win a place on the Democratic ticket in 2028. Andrew McGowan, Variety, 25 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for on
Preposition
  • The patriots’ dreams of liberty ricocheted around much of the rest of the planet, too, pushing questions about human dignity, popular sovereignty, and citizenship toward the top of the global agenda and equipping rights seekers everywhere with a potent new vocabulary.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Row between stores The backlash towards Shein has extended beyond demonstrations on the street and government probes.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 7 Nov. 2025
Preposition
  • Peterson’s cramping issue first popped up — at least publicly — in KU’s exhibition game against Louisville back in October.
    Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 12 Nov. 2025
  • After playing a career-best game to tip off the season, pouring in 31 points against Indiana State, Bradford has gone cold from beyond the arc in the past two games, not attempting a three against Tennessee Tech and missing all five of his attempts on Tuesday night.
    Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 12 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • Expect to continue hearing rumors about Swinney moving forward this season.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Then Heat forward Nikola Jovic threw the perfect inbounds pass to find Wiggins for the game-winning alley-oop dunk at the final buzzer.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • During the end of the latter track, Lauper encouraged audience members to sing along and brought Salt-n-Pepa onstage to join in.
    Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Follow along as Diller and Chen chronicle their day.
    Nathan Diller, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Last year, though revenue and operating profit increased, non-operating red ink pushed the company into a full-year loss of NT$766 million, or $25 million.
    Russell Flannery, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
  • The adjusted net income decreased by 8% y-o-y to $3.9 billion in the first nine months of 2022 due to higher expenses as a % of revenues and lower non-operating income.
    Trefis Team, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2023
Preposition
  • Metro Police detectives are continuing to investigate the shooting, and are in contact with the District Attorney’s Office regarding charging decisions.
    Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Was any decision made regarding reducing Partey’s media obligations?
    James McNicholas, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Preposition
  • European ports like Rotterdam and Antwerp have been slammed with congestion throughout the year due to various labor strikes and disruptions, as well as schedule changes brought upon by the Red Sea diversions.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Navigating the world of priming serums can be a slippery slope due to heavy formulas and glitter-like ingredients that clump upon application.
    Tatayana Yomary, Essence, 21 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • At the beginning of the industrial revolution, the big bosses considered women inferior to their male counterparts (weaker, more emotional, less reliable, and so forth).
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Defensive end Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals, the league's reigning sack champion, has been back and forth from the trade block since the preseason.
    Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025

Cite this Entry

“On.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/on. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

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