Definition Synonyms
Definition of onto - Reverso English Dictionary
Preposition
1.
movementmoving to a position on a surface
- The cat jumped onto the table.
2.
transportationentering a vehicle for travel
- They got onto the bus quickly.
3.
directiondirecting attention or light towards
- She shone the flashlight onto the path.
4.
discussionRare beginning to discuss a new topicRare
- We moved onto the next subject.
5.
set mappingTECH. mathematics function with a specific propertyTECH.
- The function maps every element onto the codomain.
Adverb
1.
transitiontransitioning to a new topic or phase
- Let's move onto the next subject.
2.
- She is onto the secret plan now.
Expressions with onto
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have the rear side facing or overlooking something
The house backs onto a beautiful park.
board a bus, train, or other vehicle
We need to get onto the next train.
grasp something firmly to prevent falling
Hold onto the railing while climbing the stairs.
lead to a particular place
The hallway gives onto the living room.
find out something important or that leads to success
The police are onto something.
get on top of something or someone in a group
The kids pile onto the bed to watch TV.
express belief in discovering something important or promising
We're onto something big with this new invention!
have found something likely to succeed or benefit
If this works, we could be onto a winner!
suddenly become very well-known or important
The young singer burst onto the scene with her debut album.
flirt with someone seeking romance or love
He tried to crack onto her at the party.
suddenly become very popular or successful
The band exploded onto the scene with their debut album.
attach oneself to something or someone
She tends to glom onto new friends quickly.
start defending against a threat or attack
During the debate, she went onto the defensive.
prepare for something surprising or exciting
Hang onto your hat, we're about to take off!
prepare for something exciting or difficult
Hold onto your hat, this ride is going to be wild!
mentally grasp or understand an idea
He quickly latched onto the new concept.
fasten to a person or thing, often seeking help or advantage
He leeched onto his classmates, hoping they would carry him through exams.
start doing tasks automatically without thinking
After years of practice, she switched onto autopilot at work.
correspond to or match with something
Each point on the graph maps onto a specific value.
impose something unwanted onto someone
He foisted the old furniture onto his neighbor.
encounter serious problems or failure
Their business plans ran onto the rocks after the market crash.
become available for people to buy
The new phone will come onto the market next month.
assign a task or responsibility to someone
She pushed the cleaning duties onto her brother.
mathematical function where every target value is matched
This is an onto function because every value is used.
Origin of onto
Latin, on (on) + to (toward)
Terms with onto included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
imprint
press a mark or design onto something
makeup lotion
apply something onto a surface or body
application
apply a substance by rubbing it onto a surface
nature
overflow of water onto dry land
nature
overflow with water onto land
environment
overflow of water onto land
transportation
process of placing items onto a vehicle
riding
climb onto a horse or bicycle
media
process of capturing sound or video onto a medium
arrange
thread items onto a cord or wire for hanging
travel
card allowing entry onto a plane or ship
transportation
get onto a vehicle, boat, or similar thing
physical impact
fall suddenly and heavily onto something
performance
walk onto the stage to perform or speak
food serving
serve food onto plates for eating
food serving
serve cooked food onto plates
movement
collapse onto a surface or object
kneel
lower your body onto a surface
transportation
enter or get onto a ship, plane, or train
transportation
get onto a vehicle quickly
jumping
jump onto a higher place
physical action
get onto something from behind quickly
aviation
come down onto a surface from the air
emotional release
stop holding onto emotions or ideas
Examples of onto in a sentence
The rain fell onto the roof with a loud noise. She stepped onto the train just in time. Passengers climbed onto the ferry for the island tour. He directed the laser pointer onto the board during the presentation. The spotlight was turned onto the stage as the play began. Let's move onto the next agenda item.
We transitioned onto discussing future plans. The equation describes how values are mapped onto the range. Each input is transformed onto a unique output. She quickly moved onto her next project. After the break, we went onto discussing the budget. He's onto the latest tech trends now. They're onto the truth about the incident.
View all translations of onto
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:sur, au courant, ...
- German:auf, wechseln, ...
- Italian:sul, verso, ...
- Spanish:sobre, al tema siguiente, ...
- Portuguese:para cima de, em direção a, ...
- Chinese:上, 过渡到, ...
- Japanese:上に, 移って, ...
- Arabic:عَلَى, أصْبَحَت عَلى عِلْم, ...
- Hebrew:עַל, הַלְאָה, ...
- Russian:на, далее, ...
- Ukrainian:на, наступно, ...
- Hindi:पर, अगले विषय पर, ...
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