In addition to the uses shown below, onto is used in phrasal verbs such as 'hold onto' and 'latch onto'.
1. preposition
If something moves or is put onto an object or surface, it is then on that object or surface.
I took my bags inside, lowered myself onto the bed and switched on the TV.
Smear Vaseline on to your baby's skin to prevent soreness.
2. preposition
You can sometimes use onto to mention the place or area that someone moves into.
The players emerged onto the field.
...when the photographer sets off onto the moors.
Alex turned his car on to the Albert Quay and drove along until he found a parkingplace.
3. preposition
You can use onto to introduce the place towards which a light or someone's look is directed.
...the metal part of the door onto which the sun had been shining.
The colours rotated round on a disc and were reflected onto the wall behind.
...the house with its leafy garden and its view on to Regent's Park.
4. preposition
You can use onto to introduce a place that you would immediately come to after leaving another place that you have just mentioned, because they are next to each other.
...a two-hundred-yard-wide strip of land that backs onto a large lake.
5. preposition
When you change the position of your body, you use onto to introduce the part your body which is now supporting you.
As he stepped backwards she fell onto her knees, then onto her face.
Puffing a little, Mabel shifted her weight onto her feet.
I willed my eyes to open and heaved myself over on to my back.
6. preposition
When you get onto a bus, train, or plane, you enter it in order to travel somewhere.
As he got on to the plane, he asked me how I was feeling.
Who can fold up a pushchair, toddler and shopping and then get them all onto thebus?
'I'll see you onto the train.'—'Thank you.'
7. preposition
Onto is used after verbs such as 'hold', 'hang', and 'cling' to indicate what someone is holding firmly or where something is being held firmly.
The reflector is held onto the sides of the spacecraft with a frame.
She was conscious of a second man hanging on to the rail.
She had to cling onto the doorhandle until the pain passed.
8. preposition
If people who are talking get onto a different subject, they begin talking about it.
Let's get on to more important matters.
So, if we could just move onto something else?
9. preposition
You can sometimes use onto to indicate that something or someone becomes included as a part of a list or system.
The Macedonian question had failed to get on to the agenda.
The pill itself has changed a lot since it first came onto the market.
Twelve thousand workers will go onto a four-day week at their factory in Birmingham.
10. preposition
If someone is onto something, they are about to discover something important.
[informal]
He leaned across the table and whispered to me, 'I'm really onto something.'.
Archaeologists knew they were onto something big when they started digging.
11. preposition
If someone is onto you, they have discovered that you are doing something illegal or wrong.
[informal]
He did not want Pollard to become suspicious that he was now onto him.
I had told people what he had been doing, so now the police were onto him.
English Easy Learning GrammarPrepositionsA preposition is one of a small but very common group of words that relate differentitems to each other. Most English prepositions have a number of meanings ... Read more
onto in British English
or on to (ˈɒntʊ, unstressed ˈɒntə)
preposition
1.
to a position that is on
step onto the train
2.
having become aware of (something illicit or secret)
the police are onto us
3.
into contact with
get onto the factory
▶ USAGE Onto is now generally accepted as a word in its own right. On to is still used, however, where on is considered to be part of the verb: he moved on to a different town as contrasted with he jumped onto the stage
onto- in British English
combining form
existence or being
ontogeny
ontology
Word origin
from Late Greek, from ōn (stem ont-) being, present participle of einai to be
onto in American English
(ˈɑntu)
preposition
1.
to and upon; to a position on
2. US, Slang
aware of or familiar with, esp. aware of the real nature or meaning of
they're onto our schemes
onto- in American English
(ˈɑntoʊ; ˈɑntə)
1.
being, existence
ontology
2.
organism
ontogeny
Also, before a vowel, ont-
Word origin
< Gr ōn (gen. ontos), prp. of einai, to be < IE base *es- > is1
More idioms containing
onto
hold onto something like grim death
Examples of 'onto' in a sentence
onto
Like many young people, they struggled to get onto the property ladder.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
A lot of meetings take place early on in the week before we get out onto the pitch.
The Sun (2016)
They are definitely onto something.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You have to observe these moments and latch onto something.
The Sun (2015)
To find it and get it onto our side.
Kerr, Katharine A Time of War (1993)
They needed something to hold onto amid the chaos.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Their sole aim was to get through the muck and get onto solid ground once more.
Max Hastings Nemesis: The Battle for Japan, 194445 (2007)
Then a final dip to the right and the skis ease onto something solid.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It can take that long just to get onto the plane.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
But she had fastened onto something just as important.
Christianity Today (2000)
Those buyers not up to speed might find they are left behind in the scramble to get onto the property ladder.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Then he might be onto something.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Boss wants us onto something else.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Deal clincher Fantastic support to get you onto your chosen career route.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He persisted; he thought he was onto something.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
As soon it went onto something else, he would get up and go into another compartment.
Leo McKinstry Sir Alf: A Major Reappraisal of the Life and Times of England's Greatest FootballManager (2006)
And the old thing loses its lustre and then you're onto something new.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Critics fear the influx is distorting prices and could hinder Londoners trying to get onto the property ladder.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
But we don't know whether the charcoal might also grab onto and get rid of vitamins and minerals.
Kowalski, Robert E The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure (1990)
After seeing the game you would have expected him to get onto the Man City coach!
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
So I am led to the pod, where she tells me to get onto the table.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
In other languages
onto
British English: onto /ˈɒntʊ/ PREPOSITION
on top of If something moves onto a surface, it moves to a place on that surface.
The cat climbed onto her lap.
American English: onto
Arabic: عَلَى
Brazilian Portuguese: para cima de
Chinese: 到…之上
Croatian: na
Czech: napovrch
Danish: op på
Dutch: op
European Spanish: a
Finnish: jhk suuntaan tai paikkaan
French: surmonter sur
German: auf
Greek: πάνω
Italian: su
Japanese: ･･･の上へ
Korean: ~위로
Norwegian: oppi
Polish: na
European Portuguese: para cima de
Romanian: pe
Russian: на
Latin American Spanish: hacia
Swedish: upp
Thai: ไปบน
Turkish: üzerine
Ukrainian: на
Vietnamese: ở trên
British English: onto /ˈɒntʊ/ PREPOSITION
bus, train, plane When you get onto a bus, train, or plane, you enter it.
He got onto the plane.
American English: onto
Arabic: في
Brazilian Portuguese: entrar
Chinese: 到…里面
Croatian: u
Czech: donastoupit
Danish: ombord på
Dutch: in
European Spanish: en
Finnish: jhk suuntaan tai paikkaan
French: dansmonter dans
German: in
Greek: σε
Italian: su
Japanese: ･･･に
Korean: ~에
Norwegian: på
Polish: do
European Portuguese: para
Romanian: în
Russian: на
Latin American Spanish: en
Swedish: på
Thai: เข้าไปยัง
Turkish: ne
Ukrainian: у
Vietnamese: trên
Chinese translation of 'onto'
onto
or on to
(ˈɔntu)
prep
到 ... 上 (dào ... shàng)
to get onto sth[bus, train, plane]上某交通工具 (shàng mǒu jiāotōng gōngjù) [subject, matter]开(開)始谈(談)论(論)某事 (kāishǐ tánlùn mǒushì)
to hold/hang/cling onto sth紧(緊)紧(緊)抓/握/揪住某物 (jǐnjǐn zhuā/wò/jiūzhù mǒuwù)
to be onto something (inf) 将(將)要揭示某事 (jiāng yào jiēshì mǒushì)
to be onto sb (inf) 追究某人 (zhuījiū mǒurén)
All related terms of 'onto'
put onto
▶ to put sb onto sb/sth 向某人引荐(薦)某人/某物 xiàng mǒurén yǐnjiàn mǒurén/mǒuwù