goverb
uk/ɡəʊ/us/ɡoʊ/present participle going, past tense went, past participle gonego verb (MOVE/TRAVEL)
A1 [ I usually + adv/prep ] to travel or move to another place:
A1 [ I usually + adv/prep ] to be in the process of moving:
A1 [ I ] to move or travel somewhere in order to do something:
said when you cannot find something:
More examples
- You won't be able to go swimming tomorrow if your cold hasn't cleared up.
- You should change trains at Peterborough if you're going to Newcastle.
- We went dancing at a nightclub.
- I was thinking we might go on a shopping trip on Saturday.
- Simon and Jo have gone to visit their grandmother this weekend.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
General words for movement
- betake
- budge
- budge up
- circulate
- gangway!
- go around
- head
- locomotion
- manoeuvre
- mill around
- mobility
- mope
- mope around (somewhere)
- move
- pass
- round
- slip
- steer
- sway
- travel
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
go verb (LEAVE)
B1 [ I ] to leave a place, especially in order to travel to somewhere else:
If you ask for some food to go at a restaurant, you want it wrapped up so that you can take it away with you instead of eating it in the restaurant:
[ I ] polite word for to die:
More examples
- You can stay if you want, but I'm going to go.
- The next train for Manchester goes in ten minutes.
- Get your coat, we're going.
- He was here a minute ago, but he must have just gone.
- He was disappointed to find they'd already gone.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Departing
- abandon
- absquatulate
- backward
- be ready to roll idiom
- bog
- desertion
- drive
- go down
- hit
- piss
- push along
- push off
- ready
- run
- run away
- sally
- track
- walk off (somewhere)
- walk out
- without (so much as) a backward glance idiom
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
go verb (LEAD)
B1 [ I + adv/prep ] If a road, path, etc. goes in a particular direction, it leads there:
[ I usually + adv/prep ] to continue for a particular length:
More examples
- Their friendship goes back to when they were at school together.
- The M4 goes from London to Bristol.
- The tunnel goes right underneath the city.
- The cable went from the video into the back of the TV.
- The scratch goes along the entire length of the vehicle.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Taking someone somewhere or telling them the way
- accompany
- bring
- bring sb/sth along
- chaperone
- come along
- convoy
- direct
- docent
- drop
- guide
- lead 1
- refer sb to sth/sb
- see sb off
- shepherd
- show sb around (sth)
- show sb over sth
- stick
- usher
- usherette
- walk
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
go verb (FUTURE TIME)
More examples
- I'm going to check out that new club.
- Come on - we're going to be late if you don't hurry!
- My lawyer is going to compose a letter of complaint.
- Have you considered your mother and how she's going to feel about you leaving?
- There's a slight coolness in the air - do you think it's going to rain?
A2 to intend to do or be something in the future:
A2 to be certain or expected to happen in the future:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
In the future & soon
- a matter/question of time idiom
- ahead
- all in good time idiom
- anon
- ASAP
- come
- in for sth idiom
- in the fullness of time idiom
- in the long run idiom
- in the short run idiom
- in two shakes (of a lamb's tail) idiom
- long
- someday
- sometime
- soon
- sooner or later idiom
- space
- the days/week(s)/year(s) to come idiom
- then
- yet
See more results »
go verb (BECOME)
B1 [ L only + adj ] to become:
More examples
- Paul will go mad when he finds out you've broken his watch.
- Because the book's so old, the pages are going yellow.
- The cars pull away when the lights go green.
- Many small businesses went broke during the recession.
- He goes all misty-eyed whenever he hears that song.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Starting and beginning
- be in the first flush of idiom
- become
- begin
- branch out
- break into sth
- export
- get down to business idiom
- ground
- incipient
- initiator
- instate
- introduce
- kick
- strike
- swing into action idiom
- touch sth off
- train
- trigger
- wade in
- weave
See more results »
go verb (MOVE BODY)
C2 [ I usually + adv/prep ] to move a part of the body in a particular way or the way that is shown:
More examples
- Can you go like this with your tongue?
- The player went like this to show that his wasn't hurt.
- His face went like this when he tasted the soup.
- Go like this with your arm to stretch the muscle.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
General words for movement
- betake
- budge
- budge up
- circulate
- gangway!
- go around
- head
- locomotion
- manoeuvre
- mill around
- mobility
- mope
- mope around (somewhere)
- move
- pass
- round
- slip
- steer
- sway
- travel
See more results »
go verb (OPERATE)
C2 [ I ] to operate (in the right way):
More examples
- My watch stopped going after I dropped it.
- That radio has been going all morning.
- She received a grant to get her business going.
- I can't get the vacuum cleaner to go.
- The driver of the getaway car kept the engine going.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Machines - Functioning
- asthmatically
- commission
- faulty
- fire sth up
- function as sth/sb
- functionally
- in commission idiom
- operation
- operational
- operative
- order
- pack up
- peg
- perform
- play up
- right
- roll
- start
- start (sth) up
- torpor
See more results »
go verb (TIME)
B2 [ I ] If a period of time goes, it passes:
More examples
- The final hour of the exam went very quickly.
- There are only ten days to go before Christmas.
- Two hours went by before they reported the child missing.
- Time goes quickly when you're having fun.
- The afternoon was going very slowly.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Spending time & time passing
- all the time in the world idiom
- Anno Domini
- course
- elapse
- employ
- fall
- fall away
- misspend
- pass
- passage
- passing
- roll
- run
- slip away
- spread sth over sth
- the sands of time are running out idiom
- tick
- tick away/by
- time and tide wait for no man idiom
- while sth away
See more results »
go verb (BE)
[ L only + adj ] to be or stay in a particular condition, especially an unpleasant one :
in comparison with most other things of a particular type, especially when you do not think that type of thing is very good:
to prove that something is true:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Keeping and staying the same
- consistency
- consistent
- continuum
- fastness
- firm
- flat
- invariant
- leave
- leave well alone idiom
- level
- level off
- remain
- seamless
- settle
- stable
- steadfastly
- steady
- unchanged
- undisturbed
- wallow in sth
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
go verb (START)
[ I ] to start doing or using something:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Starting and beginning
- be in the first flush of idiom
- become
- begin
- branch out
- break into sth
- export
- get down to business idiom
- ground
- incipient
- initiator
- instate
- introduce
- kick
- strike
- swing into action idiom
- touch sth off
- train
- trigger
- wade in
- weave
See more results »
go verb (PLAY GAME)
[ I ] to use your opportunity to play in a game:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Miscellaneous games & activities
- air hockey
- bingo
- bungee jumping
- cage diving
- charade
- crossword
- cryptic crossword
- domino
- free running
- freestyle football
- Frisbee
- handball
- hangman
- noughts and crosses
- pinball machine
- quoits
- softball
- tiddlywinks
- treasure hunt
- tug of war
See more results »
go verb (DIVIDE)
[ I not continuous ] (of a number) to fit into another number especially resulting in a whole number:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Addition, subtraction, multiplication & division
- add
- add (sth) up
- addition sign
- associative property
- borrow
- carry sth forward/over
- coefficient
- deduct
- distributive
- divide
- divisible
- divisor
- half
- long division
- minus
- multiplication table
- multiply
- power
- table
- times
See more results »
go verb (SAY)
[ + speech ] informal to say, especially when a story is being told:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Saying & uttering
- (your) every word idiom
- add
- come out with sth
- every
- find your voice idiom
- floor
- get sth in
- in words of one syllable idiom
- in your own words idiom
- misspeak
- mouth
- phrase
- say
- speak
- string
- text
- think
- use
- utterance
- volunteer
See more results »
go verb (WEAKEN)
[ I ] to become weak or damaged, especially from being used (too much), or to stop working:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Deteriorating and making worse
- a step backwards idiom
- a turn of the screw idiom
- add
- afford
- aggravate
- backslide
- compound
- decline
- degrade
- disintegrate
- dog
- downgrade
- downhill
- exacerbate
- regress
- relapse
- retrograde
- retrogress
- run yourself down
- slip
See more results »
go verb (NOISE)
C2 [ I or T ] to produce a noise:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Sounds made by objects, movement or impact
- clash
- crackling
- ding
- ding-a-ling
- ding-dong
- fizz
- hoot
- jangling
- knock
- pip
- rasp
- ringer
- rumbling
- sing
- slam
- swish
- thud
- twang
- whine
- whistle
See more results »
go verb (BE EXPRESSED)
B2 [ I not continuous ] to be expressed, sung, or played:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Playing music
- accompaniment
- accompany
- busk
- conduct
- fiddle
- fingering
- improvisation
- interpreter
- jam
- music
- perform
- raise the roof idiom
- serenade
- sight-read
- strum
- swell
- tap
- tap sth out
- tune
- virtuoso
See more results »
go verb (HAPPEN)
[ I usually + adv/prep ] to happen or be found regularly or typically with each other or another:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Occurring and happening
- afoot
- assail
- asynchronous
- attendant
- be at work idiom
- become
- come round
- come up
- event
- go ahead
- go down
- go hand in hand with sth idiom
- go together
- go with sth
- hand
- happen
- intervene
- materialize
- turn up
- underway
See more results »
go verb (BE SITUATED)
[ I usually + adv/prep, not continuous ] to be put in a particular place, especially as the usual place:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Placing and positioning an object
- -based
- appose
- bung
- change sth around
- consign
- consign sb/sth to sth
- fit
- install
- manoeuvre
- perch
- position
- sandwich sb/sth between sb/sth
- sandwich sth together
- set sb down
- set sth down
- shelve
- shove
- stand
- stuff
- whack
See more results »
go verb (BE SOLD)
[ I ] to be sold or be available:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Available and accessible
- accessible
- at your command idiom
- availability
- available
- be there for sb idiom
- bookable
- come out
- hand
- nothing
- on hand idiom
- on stream idiom
- on/about your person idiom
- open (sth) up
- person
- ready
- ready-made
- release
- season
- vacant
- vacant possession
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
go verb (BE ACCEPTABLE)
B1 [ I not continuous ] to look or be acceptable or suitable:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Matching and co-ordinating
- -matched
- coordinate
- coordinated
- go with sth
- marry
- marry up (sth)
- match
- match sth up
- match up
- tone
- tone in
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
go verb (BE KNOWN)
[ I usually + adv/prep ] to be known (by a particular name):
go verb (DEVELOP)
B1 [ I usually + adv/prep ] to develop or happen:
More examples
- Everything was going smoothly until suddenly disaster struck.
- "I hear things aren't going too well at work." "You don't know the half of it!"
- Everything went swimmingly until Peter started talking about money.
- The party went like clockwork.
- Did it all go according to plan?
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Occurring and happening
- afoot
- assail
- asynchronous
- attendant
- be at work idiom
- become
- come round
- come up
- event
- go ahead
- go down
- go hand in hand with sth idiom
- go together
- go with sth
- hand
- happen
- intervene
- materialize
- turn up
- underway
See more results »
Idiom(s)
Phrasal verb(s)
gonoun
uk/ɡəʊ/us/ɡoʊ/plural goesgo noun (ATTEMPT)
B2 [ C ] US also try an attempt to do something:
C2 to try to make something succeed, usually by working hard:
More examples
- I can't do the crossword. Do you want to have a go?
- After several goes at the puzzle, she eventually gave up.
- They each had a go at lifting the box, but neither of them could move it.
- If you fail the test this time, you can have another go at it in August.
- I don't know if I can fix the taps but I'll have a go.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Trying and making an effort
- a blitz on sth idiom
- all-out
- assault
- attempt
- attempted
- bid
- crack
- go the extra mile idiom
- go to great lengths idiom
- God helps those who help themselves idiom
- grasp at sth
- grope
- push
- seek
- shoot
- strain every nerve idiom
- stretch a/the point idiom
- strive
- strove
- succeed
See more results »
go noun (OPPORTUNITY)
B1 [ C ] US usually turn an opportunity to play in a game, or to do or use something:
More examples
- Is it my go yet?
- May I have a go on your computer?
- We can have two goes each.
- You have to miss a go if you land on that square.
- Whose go is it?
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Miscellaneous games & activities
- air hockey
- bingo
- bungee jumping
- cage diving
- charade
- crossword
- cryptic crossword
- domino
- free running
- freestyle football
- Frisbee
- handball
- hangman
- noughts and crosses
- pinball machine
- quoits
- softball
- tiddlywinks
- treasure hunt
- tug of war
See more results »
go noun (CRITICIZE)
to criticize someone:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Disapproving & criticizing
- -basher
- animadversion
- aspersions
- backbite
- bad-mouth
- belabour
- damn
- damn sb with faint praise idiom
- denounce
- disapproval
- give sb hell idiom
- lashing
- pitch into sb/sth
- pound
- pound away at sth/sb
- pull sth apart
- put the boot in idiom
- take a dim view of sth idiom
- talk trash idiom
- throw
See more results »
go noun (ENERGY)
[ U ] UK the condition of being energetic and active:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Excitement, interest, energy and enthusiasm
- a new lease of life idiom
- alacrity
- animation
- ardour
- avid
- flap
- frisky
- frisson
- get-up-and-go
- glamour
- gusto
- meaty
- shiver (up and) down your spine idiom
- sparkle
- spice
- spirit
- sprightly
- stimulation
- zap
- zest
See more results »