on Meaning & Definition
What Does On Mean?
As an adjective, on means In the state of being active, functioning or operating. It can also mean Happening; taking place; being or due to be put into action. As an adverb, it means To an operating state. As a preposition, it means Indicating position or location. Positioned at the upper surface of, touching from above.
On in Brief
| Part of speech | adjective, adverb, preposition, verb, noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ɒn/ |
| Synonyms | connected, happening and along |
| Antonyms | off, cancelled and after |
| Verb forms | ons, oning, oned |
On Definition (Adjective)
- In the state of being active, functioning or operating.
All the lights are on, so they must be home.
- Happening; taking place; being or due to be put into action.
We had to ration our food because there was a war on.
- Of a person, used to express agreement to or acceptance of a proposal or challenge made by that person; most commonly with subject "you" (see you're on).
"Five bucks says the Cavs win tonight." ―"You're on!"
- Fitted; covering or being worn.
Your feet will soon warm up once your socks are on.
- Of a stated part of something, oriented towards the viewer or other specified direction.
The photograph shows the UFO side on.
- Acceptable, appropriate.
It's not fair to do that – it's just not on.
- Possible; capable of being successfully carried out.
Climbing up that steep ridge isn't on. We'll have to find another route.
- Available; remaining.
Smith is 25 points ahead with only 23 on.
- Having reached a base as a runner and being positioned there, awaiting further action from a subsequent batter.
- Within the half of the field on the same side as the batsman's legs; the left side for a right-handed batsman.
The captain moved two fielders to the on side.
- Of a ball, being the next in sequence to be potted, according to the rules of the game.
If the player fails to hit the ball on, it's a foul.
- Acting in character.
- Performative or funny in a wearying manner.
He always has to be on, it's so exhausting.
- Menstruating.
On as an Adverb
- To an operating state.
turn the television on
- So as to cover or be fitted.
The lid wasn't screwed on properly.
- Along, forwards (continuing an action), onwards.
The policeman moved the tramp on.
- In continuation, at length.
and so on
- Later.
Ten years on, nothing had changed in the village.
- Of betting odds, denoting a better-than-even chance. See also odds-on.
That horse is twenty-to-one on, so you need to stake twenty pounds just to win one pound.
- Of a ball, into a pottable position.
The black was previously unavailable, but in potting that red, he's now pushed the black on.
On as a Preposition
- Indicating position or location.
Positioned at the upper surface of, touching from above.
A vase of flowers stood on the table.
- Positioned at the upper surface of, touching from above.
A vase of flowers stood on the table.
- Positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to.
He had a scar on the side of his face.
- Covering.
He wore old shoes on his feet.
- At or in (a geographical location or position).
The lighthouse that you can see is on the mainland.
- At (a relative spatial position).
We live on the edge of the city.
- Near; adjacent to; alongside; just off.
The fleet is on the American coast.
- Aboard (a mode of transport, especially public transport, or transport that one sits astride or uses while standing).
on a bus, on a train, on a plane, on a ferry, on a yacht
- In the direction of (some part of one's vessel), to within 45 degrees.
A ship was sighted on the port quarter.
- Expressing figurative placement, burden, or attachment.
All of the responsibility is on him.
- Denoting physical contact or interaction with an object, such as impact or application of force.
With verbs describing an action of pushing, pulling, pressing, etc., designates the thing to which force is applied.
tug on the rope; push hard on the door
- With verbs describing an action of pushing, pulling, pressing, etc., designates the thing to which force is applied.
tug on the rope; push hard on the door
- With verbs describing an action of hitting, rubbing, scratching, binding against, etc., designates the thing impacted or contacted.
I stubbed my toe on an old tree stump.
- Denoting performance or action by contact with the surface, upper part, or outside of anything By means of; with.
to play on a violin or piano
- Supported by (the specified part of itself).
A table can't stand on two legs.
- At (a certain value or level).
The Tories are on twenty-five percent in this constituency.
- At (a certain position within a sequence).
I'm on question four.
- At or during the date or day of.
Born on the 4th of July.
- At (a given time after the start of something).
Smith scored again on twelve minutes, doubling Mudchester Rovers' lead.
- At (an instant or cusp).
on the stroke of midnight; on the "B" of "Bang!"
- Dealing with the subject of; about; concerning.
I was reading a book on history.
- Indicating a means or medium.
I saw it on television.
- Indicating the target of, or thing affected by, an event or action.
They planned an attack on London.
- In the possession of.
I haven't got any money on me.
- Because of; upon the basis of (something not yet confirmed as true).
to arrest someone on suspicion of bribery
- At the time of (and often because of).
On Jack's entry, William got up to leave.
- Arrived or coming into the presence of.
I need to get my planting done, as the season will soon be on us.
- Paid for by.
The drinks are on me tonight, boys.
- Toward; for; indicating the object of an emotion.
Have pity or compassion on him.
- Indicating the person experiencing an emotion, cold, thirst, hunger, etc.
I had a terrible thirst on me.
- Indicating a means of subsistence or sustenance.
They lived on ten dollars a week.
- Engaged in or occupied with (an action or activity).
He's on his lunch break.
- Regularly taking (a drug).
You've been on these antidepressants far too long.
- Under the influence of (a drug, or something that is causing drug-like effects).
He's acting crazy because he's on crack right now.
- In addition to; besides; indicating multiplication or succession in a series.
heaps on heaps of food
- Indicating dependence or reliance.
I depended on them for assistance.
- Serving as a member of.
He is on the jury; I am on the committee.
- By virtue of; with the pledge of.
He affirmed or promised on his word, or on his honour.
- Ellipsis of I swear on: on my life, on God, on everything, etc.
- To the account or detriment of; denoting imprecation or invocation, or coming to, falling, or resting upon.
On us be all the blame.
- Against; in opposition to.
The fight was three on one, and he never stood a chance.
- According to, from the standpoint of; (expressing what must follow, whether accepted or not, if a given premise or system is assumed true).
- In a position of being able to pot (a given ball).
All the way around the table, off four cushions, and ... and he's on the black!
- Having as identical domain and codomain.
a function on ℝ
- Having Vn as domain and V as codomain, for the specified set V and some integer n.
an operator on ℤ
- Generated by.
the free group on four letters
- Divided by.
Twenty on three.
- Of.
I never seen 'im, and that's the truth on it.
- At the peril of, or for the safety of.
On as a Verb
- To switch on.
Can you on the light?
Preposition
- Without. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
On as a Noun
- In the Japanese language, a pronunciation, or reading, of a kanji character that was originally based on the character's pronunciation in Chinese, contrasted with kun.
Most kanji have two kinds of reading, called "on" and "kun".
Adjective
- Performing according to schedule; taking place.
Are we still on for tonight?
- Fitted; covering; being worn.
I was trying to drink out of the bottle while the top was still on!
- (usually negative) Acceptable, appropriate.
You can't do that; it's just not on.
- Destined, normally in the context of a challenge being accepted; involved, doomed.
"Five bucks says the Cavs win tonight." ―"You're on!"
Adverb
- Along, forwards (continuing an action).
drive on, rock on
- (obsolete in the US) Later.
Ten years on, nothing had changed in the village.
Preposition
- Expressing figurative placement or attachment.
All of the responsibility is on him.
- Denoting performance or action by contact with the surface, upper part, or outside of anything; hence, by means of; with.
to play on a violin or piano
- At or in (a certain region or location).
The lighthouse that you can see is on the mainland.
- Near; adjacent to; alongside.
Croton-on-Hudson, Rostov-on-Don, Southend-on-Sea
- So as to impart force to.
tug on the rope; push hard on the door
- So as to impact; against.
I stubbed my toe on an old tree stump.
- (with certain modes of transport, especially public transport) Inside (a vehicle) for the purpose of travelling.
on a bus, on a train, on a plane
- At the date of.
Born on the 4th of July.
- Some time during the day of.
Can I see you on a different day?
- At a given time after the start of something; at.
Smith scored again on twelve minutes, doubling Mudchester Rovers' lead.
- Because of, or due to.
to arrest someone on suspicion of bribery
- Upon; at the time of (and often because of).
On Jack's entry, William got up to leave.
- Indicating a means of subsistence.
The dog survived three weeks on rainwater.
- Away or occupied with (e.g. a scheduled activity).
He's on his lunch break.
- Under the influence of (a drug).
He's acting crazy because he's on crack right now.
- Having identical domain and codomain.
a function on
- Having V^n as domain and V as codomain, for some set V and integer n.
an operator on
- Indicating dependence or reliance; with confidence in.
He will promise on certain conditions.
- In the service of; connected with; of the number of.
He is on a newspaper; I am on the committee.
- (especially when numbers of combatants or competitors are specified) Against; in opposition to.
The fight was three on one, and he never stood a chance.
Preposition
- Without.
Synonyms of On
Antonyms of On
On in a Sentence
All the lights are on, so they must be home.
We had to ration our food because there was a war on.
I've got a lot on at the moment.
Some of the cast went down with flu, but the show's still on.
That TV programme that you wanted to watch is on now.
This is her last song. You're on next!
Are we still on for tonight?
Mike just threw coffee onto Paul's lap. It's on now.
England need a hundred runs, with twenty-five overs remaining. Game on!
"Five bucks says the Cavs win tonight." ―"You're on!"
If he wants a fight, he's on!
Your feet will soon warm up once your socks are on.
I was trying to drink out of the bottle while the top was still on!
The photograph shows the UFO side on.
edge on, side on, end on, face on
It's not fair to do that – it's just not on.
Climbing up that steep ridge isn't on. We'll have to find another route.
He'd like to play the red next to the black spot, but that shot isn't on.
Smith is 25 points ahead with only 23 on.
The captain moved two fielders to the on side.
Ponsonby-Smythe hit a thumping on drive.
If the player fails to hit the ball on, it's a foul.
He always has to be on, it's so exhausting.
turn the television on
The lid wasn't screwed on properly.
Put on your hat and gloves.
The policeman moved the tramp on.
Drive on past the railway station.
From now on things are going to be different.
rock on
and so on
He rambled on and on.
Ten years on, nothing had changed in the village.
That horse is twenty-to-one on, so you need to stake twenty pounds just to win one pound.
The black was previously unavailable, but in potting that red, he's now pushed the black on.
A vase of flowers stood on the table.
Please lie down on the couch.
The parrot was sitting on Jim's shoulder.
We should go sailing on the lake together sometime.
He had a scar on the side of his face.
There is a dirty smudge on this window.
The painting hangs on the wall.
The fruit ripened on the trees.
Should there be an accent on the "e"?
He wore old shoes on his feet.
The lighthouse that you can see is on the mainland.
The suspect is thought to still be on the campus.
We live on the edge of the city.
on the left, on the right, on the side, on the bottom
The fleet is on the American coast.
Croton-on-Hudson, Rostov-on-Don, Southend-on-Sea
on a bus, on a train, on a plane, on a ferry, on a yacht
on a bicycle, on a motorbike, on a horse, on a scooter
A ship was sighted on the port quarter.
on the bow; on the starboard beam
All of the responsibility is on him.
I put a bet on the winning horse.
He had a quite temper on him.
You can't just spring a decision like that on me!
tug on the rope; push hard on the door
I stubbed my toe on an old tree stump.
I caught my fingernail on the door handle.
The rope snagged on a branch.
to play on a violin or piano
A table can't stand on two legs.
After resting on his elbows, he stood on his toes, then walked on his heels.
The Tories are on twenty-five percent in this constituency.
The blue team are on six points and the red team on five.
I'm on question four.
Born on the 4th of July.
On Sunday I'm busy. I'll see you on Monday.
Can I see you on a different day?
Smith scored again on twelve minutes, doubling Mudchester Rovers' lead.
on the stroke of midnight; on the "B" of "Bang!"
on the point of leaving; on the verge of giving up
I was reading a book on history.
The city hosted the World Summit on the Information Society
I have no opinion on this subject.
I onsidered the proposal on its merits.
On the subject of staff changes, I have some news.
I saw it on television.
Can't you see I'm on the phone?
My favorite shows are on BBC America.
The Beatles' appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show is on YouTube.
The film was released on DVD.
I'll pay on card.
He travelled on false documents.
They planned an attack on London.
The soldiers mutinied and turned their guns on their officers.
Her words made a lasting impression on my mind.
What will be the effect on morale?
I haven't got any money on me.
to arrest someone on suspicion of bribery
to contact someone on a hunch
On Jack's entry, William got up to leave.
On the addition of ammonia, a chemical reaction begins.
I need to get my planting done, as the season will soon be on us.
Before we knew it, the forest was on us, and the air grew colder and damper.
The drinks are on me tonight, boys.
The meal is on the house.
I paid for the airfare and meals for my family, but the hotel room was on the company.
Have pity or compassion on him.
I had a terrible thirst on me.
They lived on ten dollars a week.
The dog survived three weeks on rainwater.
He's on his lunch break.
I'm on nights all this week.
on vacation; on holiday; on a mission; on the job; on the fiddle
You've been on these antidepressants far too long.
He's acting crazy because he's on crack right now.
heaps on heaps of food
mischief on mischief; loss on loss
I depended on them for assistance.
He will promise on certain conditions.
He is on the jury; I am on the committee.
He affirmed or promised on his word, or on his honour.
On us be all the blame.
A curse on him!
Please don't tell on her and get her in trouble.
He turned on her and has been her enemy ever since.
He went all honest on me, making me listen to his confession.
The fight was three on one, and he never stood a chance.
All the way around the table, off four cushions, and ... and he's on the black!
a function on ℝ
an operator on ℤ
the free group on four letters
Twenty on three.
I never seen 'im, and that's the truth on it.
Can you on the light?
Most kanji have two kinds of reading, called "on" and "kun".
You can't do that; it's just not on.
drive on, rock on
on a bus, on a train, on a plane
He's acting so strangely, I think he must be on something.
a function on
an operator on
He is on a newspaper; I am on the committee.
Word Forms & Grammar
on (not comparable)
on
on (third-person singular simple present ons, present participle oning or onning, simple past and past participle oned or onned)
Words That Rhyme With On
Origin of On
Origin 1: From Middle English on, from Old English on, an (“on, upon, onto, in, into”), from Proto-West Germanic *ana, from Proto-Germanic *ana (“on, at”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- (“on, onto”).
Origin 2: From Old Norse ón, án (“without”), from Proto-Germanic *ēnu, *ēno, *ino (“without”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḗnu (“without”). Cognate with North Frisian on (“without”), Middle Dutch an, on (“without”), Middle Low German āne (“without”), German ohne (“without”), Gothic 𐌹𐌽𐌿 (inu, “without, except”).
Origin 3: Unlikely to be related to Ancient Greek ἄνευ (áneu, “without”), which is likely akin to Proto-Germanic *sundraz instead (whence sunder).
Origin 4: From Japanese 音読み (on'yomi, literally “sound reading”).
Questions People Ask About On
Is on an adjective or an adverb?
On is mainly used as an adjective, but it can also be used as an adverb, a preposition, a verb and a noun.
What is another word for on?
You can replace on with words such as connected, happening and along. See the full list of on synonyms and antonyms.
What is the past tense of on?
The past tense of on is oned. The present participle is oning.