Did you know?

Click any word in a definition or example to find the entry for that word

go on

 - definition
Close

What are red words?

90% of the time, speakers of English use just 7,500 words in speech and writing. These words appear in red, and are graded with stars. One-star words are frequent, two-star words are more frequent, and three-star words are the most frequent.

Close

Thesaurus

The thesaurus of synonyms and related words is fully integrated into the dictionary entries. Click on the T button in an entry to review the synonyms and related words for that meaning.

more
phrasal verb
Word Forms
Close
present tense
I/you/we/theygo on
he/she/itgoes on
present participlegoing on
past tensewent on
past participlegone on
 
  1. 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.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on
  2. 2
    [intransitive] to happen

    I wonder what’s going on next door – they’re making a lot of noise.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on
  3. 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!

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on
    1. a.
      go on something to start taking a particular medicine or drug

      He needs to go on stronger medication.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on
  5. 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.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on
    1. a.
      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.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on
  6. 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.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on
    1. a.
      to go to another place after going somewhere
      go on to:

      After Moscow, we went on to St Petersburg for a couple of days.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on
  8. 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.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on
  9. 9
    [intransitive] to go to a place before someone else who you are with

    Why don’t you go on without me?

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on
  10. 10
    [intransitive/transitive] to walk onto a stage to begin your part in a performance

    I don’t go on until the final act.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on
    1. a.
      [intransitive] to walk onto a sports field in order to replace a member of your team

      Owen went on in the 75th minute.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on
  11. 11
    go on spoken
    1. a.
      used for encouraging someone to do something

      Go on, try it – it’s really good.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on
    2. b.
      British used 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!’

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on
  12. 12
    go on (the) TV/radio to decide to appear on television/radio in order to say something

    The President went on television to appeal for calm.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on
  13. 13
    going on (for) something almost a particular age, time, or amount

    Tina is six, going on seven.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  go onThesaurus entry for this meaning of go on

This is the British English definition of go on. View American English definition of go on.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

 
See also main entry: go

vocal fry

a speech habit in which a speaker lowers their voice at the end of a sentence

BuzzWord Article

Word of the Day Word of the Day

glottal stop

a sound made by stopping air as it passes through your throat. In some varieties of spoken...

Open Dictionary

conflict mineral

a mineral which is mined in a place where there is armed conflict, and sold to help pay for weapons

add a word

Blog

A must for anyone with an interest in the changing face of language. The Macmillan Dictionary blog explores English as it is spoken around the world today.

global English and language change from our blog