onpreposition
uk/ɒn/us/ɑːn/on preposition (ABOVE)
A1 used to show that something is in a position above something else and touching it, or that something is moving into such a position:
More examples
- A hovercraft travels on a cushion of air.
- Don't put your elbows on the table.
- Your dinner is on the table.
- The oil tanker ran aground on a mud bank in thick fog.
- They've built a new church on the site of the old one.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
On or off
- astride
- atop
- on board idiom
- onto
- thereon
- thereupon
- upon
on preposition (CONNECTED)
A1 covering the surface of, being held by, or connected to something:
More examples
- We get a lot of condensation on the walls in the winter.
- The article continues/is continued on page ten.
- There's a new Italian restaurant opening on the high street.
- She gave him a hit on the head that knocked him flying.
- We stayed in/at a hotel on the seafront.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
On or off
- astride
- atop
- on board idiom
- onto
- thereon
- thereupon
- upon
on preposition (TIME)
A1 used to show when something happens:
More examples
- They're driving to Scotland on Tuesday.
- Private cars are banned from the city on alternate days.
- Please make my excuses at the meeting on Friday.
- We're going on a shopping expedition on Saturday.
- We've fallen into the habit of getting up late on Saturday mornings.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Describing when something happened or will happen
- at
- be
- coincident
- for
- hundred
- immediately
- in
- line
- movable feast
- one
- somewhere along the line idiom
- space
- up
- within
on preposition (WRITING)
A2 used to show where something has been written, printed, or drawn:
More examples
- It says on the label that no preservatives or artificial colourings have been added.
- Do you recognize the writing on the envelope?
- This morning's newspapers all carry the same story on their front page.
- He carved her name on a tree.
- See the article on page 4 for more details.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
On or off
- astride
- atop
- on board idiom
- onto
- thereon
- thereupon
- upon
on preposition (TRAVEL)
A2 used for showing some methods of travelling:
More examples
- We're going across to France on the ferry.
- We fell asleep on the train and woke up to find ourselves in Calais.
- The railcard allows students and young people to travel half-price on most trains.
- I'll collect you from the station. Which bus will you be on?
- The crowd were surrounded by police on horseback.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
On or off
- astride
- atop
- on board idiom
- onto
- thereon
- thereupon
- upon
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
on preposition (PROCESS)
used to show that a condition or process is being experienced:
More examples
- Sophia fell ill/was taken ill while on holiday.
- There are few indications (that) the economy is on an upswing.
- We won't be going on holiday this year - lack of funds, I'm afraid.
- The Titanic sank on her maiden voyage.
- He often goes away on business.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Experiencing and suffering
- afflict
- affliction
- almost/nearly die of sth idiom
- be a martyr to sth idiom
- be a victim of your own success idiom
- be devoured by sth idiom
- count
- get the short end of the stick idiom
- get/have your fingers burned idiom
- go through sth
- grip
- hands-on
- ride
- sample
- seat
- sense
- undergo
- underwent
- ups and downs
- writhe
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on preposition (RECORDING)
A2 used to show the form in which something is recorded or performed:
More examples
- The whole car can be modelled on a computer before a single component is made.
- He was clattering away on his old typewriter.
- She comes across really well on television.
- Some software can be configured to prevent children from giving out their phone numbers on the internet.
- Sound and pictures can be stored digitally, as on a CD.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
On or off
- astride
- atop
- on board idiom
- onto
- thereon
- thereupon
- upon
on preposition (PAIN)
B2 used to show what causes pain or injury as a result of being touched:
More examples
- She banged her knee on the edge of the desk.
- He smashed his elbow on the door.
- He scraped his hands on the pavement when he fell off his bike.
- The chef burned himself on the oven.
- She pricked her finger on the needle.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Through, across, opposite and against
- across
- across country idiom
- against
- agin
- along
- catty-corner
- country
- cross-country
- front
- give
- kitty-corner
- opposite
- other
- over
- overland
- thru
- to
- trans
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on preposition (TO)
A2 to or towards:
More examples
- The road is the second on the left past the church.
- His words are an attack on personal liberty.
- Take the first turning on the left.
- They survived the onslaught of bombing on the village.
- We came on them in the wood.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Describing movement towards
- -ways
- at
- convergent
- earthward
- facing
- for
- forward
- forwards
- hither
- into
- inwards
- oncoming
- onward
- onwards
- thither
- unto
- up
- ward
- way
- wise
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on preposition (RELATING)
B1 relating to:
More examples
- He gave me a book on gardening for my birthday.
- I've got nothing to say on the matter.
- The second round of the quiz was on sport.
- The committee published a hard-hitting report on the bank's management.
- The committee voted on the proposal, and accepted it unanimously.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Regarding and concerning
- about
- apropos
- as to idiom
- be/have something to do with sth idiom
- concerned
- connection
- cover
- hereof
- in respect of sth idiom
- in the brain/looks department idiom
- into
- range
- re 1
- regarding
- relate
- say
- thereof
- towards
- vis-à-vis
- wise
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on preposition (MONEY)
A2 used to show something for which a payment is made:
More examples
- He spent all his savings on an expensive car.
- The council has some spare cash that it proposes to spend on public amenities.
- Steven squandered his inheritance on a series of risky business ventures.
- She made a lot of money on the sale of her house.
- They decided to buy the car on credit.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Paying money
- ante
- charge
- chargeable
- congestion charge
- demurrage
- disburse
- discharge
- disgorge
- fork
- fork out sth
- overspend
- pay up
- pick up the bill/tab idiom
- put sth down 1
- repayable
- self-financing
- sink
- spring
- tip
- worth
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on preposition (NECESSARY)
used to show a person or thing that is necessary for something to happen or that is the origin of something:
More examples
- On what basis did you make your decision?
- The Republicans are relying on their agricultural policies to deliver the farmers' vote.
- The meaning of a sentence often depends on stress and intonation.
- He's either a hero or a villain, depending on your point of view.
- Our success rests on an increase in sales.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Essential or necessary
- a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do idiom
- basically
- basis
- be a question of doing sth idiom
- business-critical
- dependence
- elemental
- if/when push comes to shove idiom
- imply
- incumbent
- indispensable
- inherent
- integral
- need
- needed
- needful
- occasion
- on a need-to-know basis idiom
- owe
- warrant
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on preposition (INVOLVEMENT)
used to show when someone is involved or taking part in something:
More examples
- I was on the final page of the book, when the phone rang.
- The athletes are on last lap of the race.
- "Is the shower fixed yet?" "I'm working on it".
- I'm on duty until midnight.
- I was still on my main course when everyone else was ordering dessert.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Taking part and getting involved
- along
- attendee
- be (a) party to sth idiom
- be heavily into sth idiom
- be mixed up with/in sth idiom
- catch
- concern
- count
- get your teeth into sth idiom
- go in on sth
- hat
- immersive
- in on sth idiom
- muscle
- neck
- plunge in/plunge into sth
- punch above your weight idiom
- ring-in
- step
- step in
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on preposition (FINANCIAL SUPPORT)
used to show what is providing financial support or an income:
More examples
- She lived on £100 a week when she was a student.
- Have you got enough to live on?
- He gets by on a very modest salary.
- New employees start on a basic salary of £25,000.
- He's on commission only.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Grants & allowances
- all expenses paid idiom
- allowance
- benefit
- bursary
- civil list
- cost-of-living allowance
- dearness allowance
- endowment
- featherbed
- freeship
- fringe benefit
- housekeeping
- old age pension
- pension
- scholarship
- stabilizer
- subsidize
- subsidy
- travel expenses
- unemployment benefit
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on preposition (FOOD/FUEL/DRUG)
B2 used to show something that is used as food, fuel, or a drug:
More examples
- My new car runs on diesel.
- Some calculators run on solar power.
- Does your car run on unleaded petrol?
- The engine runs on high-octane petrol.
- He had converted the motor so that it could run on vegetable oil.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Drug addiction
- buzzed up
- chemical dependency
- cold turkey
- crack house
- crackhead
- druggie
- glue-sniffer
- habit
- habit-forming
- head
- hooked
- junkie
- needle exchange
- pothead
- smackhead
- sniffer
- substance abuse
- taker
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
on preposition (NEXT TO)
B1 next to or along the side of:
More examples
- Negotiations between the two countries are on the brink of collapse.
- A demilitarized zone has been created on the border between the warring countries.
- A new coffee shop is opening on the high street.
- The Aswan High Dam is on the river Nile in Egypt.
- The shop front occupies a very prominent position on the main street.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Next to and beside
- abreast
- adjacent
- adjoining
- against
- along
- alongside
- at sb's elbow idiom
- beside
- border
- contiguous
- coterminous
- elbow
- next
- next door
- shoulder to shoulder idiom
- side
- surround
- to
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on preposition (MEMBER)
C1 used to show when someone is a member of a group or organization:
More examples
- He has been rewarded for his 20 years of service with a seat on the board.
- Police officers aren't usually allowed to serve on a jury.
- Being on the committee is one involvement I could do without.
- She is on the school's development committee.
- He was was of the experts on a panel appointed to investigate the accident.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Supporters, members & defenders
- -arian
- -ista
- apologist
- apparatchik
- benefactor
- cadre
- camp follower
- campaigner
- cardholder
- champion
- chaperone
- cohort
- contributor
- defender
- evolutionist
- initiate
- new/fresh blood idiom
- referee
- renegade
- stakeholder
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
on preposition (TOOL)
B1 used when referring to a tool, instrument, or system that is used to do something:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Using and misusing
- adopt
- adoption
- advantage
- avail
- avail yourself of sth
- be/go heavy on sth idiom
- exercise
- go into sth
- go through sth
- gobble sth up
- make capital out of sth idiom
- max
- mine
- unused
- upcycle
- upcycling
- usable
- usage
- use
- wear
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on preposition (AGAIN)
UK literary used to show when something is repeated one or more times:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Continually & repeatedly
- 24/7
- ad nauseam
- again
- alway
- always
- constant
- hour
- hour after hour idiom
- hourly
- immemorial
- interval
- morning
- morning, noon, and night idiom
- night
- periodicity
- perpetual
- perpetually
- persistent
- quick-fire
- streak
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on preposition (COMPARISON)
used when making a comparison:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Comparing and contrasting
- against
- analogy
- antithesis
- as against idiom
- balance
- balance sth against sth
- benchmark
- compare
- comparison
- competitive
- contrast
- contrastive
- gold standard
- measure
- perspective
- relative
- relatively
- simile
- stack up
- vis-à-vis
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on preposition (POSSESSION)
C2 [ before pronoun ] used to show when someone has something in a pocket or in a bag that they are carrying:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Having and owning - general words
- -owned
- attach to sb/sth
- be endowed with sth idiom
- bear
- bearer
- belong
- belong to sb
- carry
- claim
- endow
- hold
- interest
- mistress
- not/never want for anything idiom
- owner
- ownership
- proprietress
- revert to sb
- stake somewhere/sth out
- want
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on preposition (AFTER)
happening after and usually because of:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Describing when something happened or will happen
- at
- be
- coincident
- for
- hundred
- immediately
- in
- line
- movable feast
- one
- somewhere along the line idiom
- space
- up
- within
on preposition (PAYMENT)
informal used to show who is paying for something:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Paying money
- ante
- charge
- chargeable
- congestion charge
- demurrage
- disburse
- discharge
- disgorge
- fork
- fork out sth
- overspend
- pay up
- pick up the bill/tab idiom
- put sth down 1
- repayable
- self-financing
- sink
- spring
- tip
- worth
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on preposition (FAULTY)
used to show who suffers when something does not operate as it should:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Experiencing and suffering
- afflict
- affliction
- almost/nearly die of sth idiom
- be a martyr to sth idiom
- be a victim of your own success idiom
- be devoured by sth idiom
- count
- get the short end of the stick idiom
- get/have your fingers burned idiom
- go through sth
- grip
- hands-on
- ride
- sample
- seat
- sense
- undergo
- underwent
- ups and downs
- writhe
See more results »
on preposition (POINTS)
UK used to show the number of points a person or team has in a competition:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Having and owning - general words
- -owned
- attach to sb/sth
- be endowed with sth idiom
- bear
- bearer
- belong
- belong to sb
- carry
- claim
- endow
- hold
- interest
- mistress
- not/never want for anything idiom
- owner
- ownership
- proprietress
- revert to sb
- stake somewhere/sth out
- want
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Idiom(s)
onadverb
uk/ɒn/us/ɑːn/on adverb (CONNECTED)
A2 on your body or someone's body:
covering the surface of something or connected to something:
More examples
- She had on an orange skirt and pink tights.
- Put your pyjamas on now, please.
- I don't have any shoes on.
- The cover was on the swimming pool at the time.
- The bottle didn't have a lid on.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
On or off
- astride
- atop
- on board idiom
- onto
- thereon
- thereupon
- upon
on adverb (OPERATING)
B2 used to show when something is operating or starting to operate:
More examples
- Don't forget to switch the boiler on when you arrive.
- The lights are on, someone must be in.
- You always leave the TV on when you go out!
- Why hasn't the air conditioning come on?
- Turn the power on by flicking this switch.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
On or off
- astride
- atop
- on board idiom
- onto
- thereon
- thereupon
- upon
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
on adverb (NOT STOPPING)
continuing or not stopping:
More examples
- I keep on thinking I've seen her before somewhere.
- Hang on a minute - I'll be with you in a moment!
- I'll leave you to get on then, shall I?
- The instructor went on and on about the importance of safety.
- She keeps going on about how tired she is.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Lasting for a long time
- all-night
- ancient
- be going strong idiom
- changeless
- deep
- die hard idiom
- epic
- incorruptible
- languish
- lasting
- lengthy
- lingering
- man and boy idiom
- marathon
- never-ending
- of old idiom
- old
- ongoing
- sustainable
- year
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on adverb (TRAVEL)
B1 into a bus, train, plane, etc., or in the correct position to start using some other method of travelling:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
On or off
- astride
- atop
- on board idiom
- onto
- thereon
- thereupon
- upon
on adverb (PERFORMING)
C2 performing:
More examples
- The orchestra came on to a warm round of applause.
- What time are you due on?
- The lights dimmed as the band came on.
- His job is to warm the audience up before the main act comes on.
- The headline act is due on at ten o'clock.
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
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on adverb (MOVING FORWARD)
B2 continuing forward in time or space:
More examples
- Keep your ticket - you'll need it later on.
- Genes are the instructions by which parents' characteristics are passed on to their children.
- I hear you've moved on to higher things.
- You go on, I'll catch you up.
- We drove on through a barren, rocky landscape.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Describing movement towards
- -ways
- at
- convergent
- earthward
- facing
- for
- forward
- forwards
- hither
- into
- inwards
- oncoming
- onward
- onwards
- thither
- unto
- up
- ward
- way
- wise
See more results »
on adverb (HAPPENING)
B2 happening or planned:
More examples
- Is there anything good on at the theatre at the moment?
- It's worth checking to see if the match is still on.
- Having found a replacement venue, the concert is now back on.
- Check the website to see what's on.
- Are we still on for a game of tennis this afternoon?
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
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on adverb (POSITION)
used when talking about the position of one thing compared with the position of another:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
On or off
- astride
- atop
- on board idiom
- onto
- thereon
- thereupon
- upon