go on

phrasal verb

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	go on
he/she/it	goes on
present participle	going on
past tense	went on
past participle	gone on

1
intransitive to continue happening or doing something as before
The meeting went on a lot longer than I expected.
We can’t go on like this any more. Things have got to change.
go on with:
Burton smiled and went on with his work.
go on doing something:
She can’t go on pretending that everything is fine when it clearly isn’t.
Synonyms and related words
To continue something, or to continue to do something
continue
go on
follow through
Synonyms and related words
To continue to exist or happen
go on
go along
persist
2
intransitive to happen
I wonder what’s going on next door – they’re making a lot of noise.
Synonyms and related words
General words meaning to happen
happen
come about
occur
3
transitive (go on something) to start doing a particular activity or being in a particular state
go on holiday/a cruise/trip/tour etc:
We’re going on holiday next week.
go on strike (=stop working as a protest):
Workers voted by a large majority to go on strike.
go on sale/display:
It will go on sale this summer.
go on a diet:
I really must go on a diet!
Synonyms and related words
To start doing something
start on
begin
set about
1. 3a
  (go on something) to start taking a particular medicine or drug
  He needs to go on stronger medication.
  Synonyms and related words
  To take, prescribe or administer a medicine
  administer
  administration
  come off
4
intransitive if something such as a light or an electricity supply goes on, it starts working or becomes available
I heard the TV go on in the next room.
Synonyms and related words
To work, or to start working (of a piece of machinery)
operate
come on
function
5
intransitive to talk so much that people become bored or annoyed
You do go on, don’t you?
go on about:
She tends to go on about how clever her children are.
go on and on (about something):
He went on and on about (=talked for a long time) me being late for work again.
Synonyms and related words
To talk continuously and too much
chunter
keep on
go on
1. 5a
  to start talking again after a pause or interruption
  Please go on – I didn’t mean to interrupt you.
  go on with:
  He encouraged her to go on with her story.
  Synonyms and related words
  To start speaking, or to start speaking again
  begin
  bring up
  continue
6
intransitive to do something after doing something else
go on to:
When you finish the first section of the test, go on to the next.
go on to do something:
They eventually went on to win the championship.
Synonyms and related words
To start doing something new or different
strike out
branch out
pioneer
1. 6a
  to go to another place after going somewhere
  go on to:
  After Moscow, we went on to St Petersburg for a couple of days.
  Synonyms and related words
  To go somewhere, or to move in a particular direction
  head
  go
  progress
7
intransitive if time goes on, it passes
Synonyms and related words
Time passing
passing
go by
wear on
8
transitive (go on something) to base an opinion or decision on something
Since there were no witnesses, the police had little to go on.
Synonyms and related words
To form an opinion, or to have an idea
measure
come up with
judge
9
intransitive to go to a place before someone else who you are with
Why don’t you go on without me?
Synonyms and related words
To go somewhere, or to move in a particular direction
head
go
progress
10
intransitive/transitive to walk onto a stage to begin your part in a performance
I don’t go on until the final act.
Synonyms and related words
To perform or entertain, or to be performed
amuse
appear
compère
1. 10a
  intransitive to walk onto a sports field in order to replace a member of your team
  Owen went on in the 75th minute.
  Synonyms and related words
  To perform an action in a game or sport
  blank
  block
  bully off
11
go onspoken
1. 11a
  used for encouraging someone to do something
  Go on, try it – it’s really good.
  Synonyms and related words
  Ways of encouraging or telling someone to do something
  I wish
  go for it
  don’t hesitate to do something
2. 11b
  Britishused for saying that you do not believe what someone is telling you
  Go on! She didn’t really say that.
  go on with you! old-fashioned:
  ‘Don’t you look nice!’ ‘Oh, go on with you!’
  Synonyms and related words
  Ways of saying that you do not believe something
  are you having a laugh?
  come, come/come now
  a likely story
12
go on (the) TV/radioto decide to appear on television/radio in order to say something
The President went on television to appeal for calm.
Synonyms and related words
Presenting and working on television and radio programmes
anchor
bleep out
bring in
13
going on (for) somethingalmost a particular age, time, or amount
Tina is six, going on seven.
Synonyms and related words
Almost and almost not
almost
nearly
hardly