on the phone
idiom
1
: using a telephone to talk to someone
Can you see who's at the door? I'm on the phone.
I was on the phone with my sister until late last night.
2
British
: connected to a telephone system
How many households aren't on the phone?
Examples of on the phone in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with Trump on the phone Monday and plans to meet with concerned officials in his country.
—
Cory Smith, Baltimore Sun, 27 Nov. 2024
Altogether, Beckett sounded happy on the phone, hardly wistful.
—Tom Zoellner, SPIN, 27 Nov. 2024
While the neo-Nazis were detained, police spoke on the phone to a witness to the confrontation.
—Bailey Gallion, The Enquirer, 26 Nov. 2024
The idea is to use the bias of scammers, who often target the elderly, against them, and keep them on the phone for hours–time that can’t be spent against real people.
—Richard Nieva, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for on the phone 
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Cory Smith, Baltimore Sun, 27 Nov. 2024
Altogether, Beckett sounded happy on the phone, hardly wistful.
—Tom Zoellner, SPIN, 27 Nov. 2024
While the neo-Nazis were detained, police spoke on the phone to a witness to the confrontation.
—Bailey Gallion, The Enquirer, 26 Nov. 2024
The idea is to use the bias of scammers, who often target the elderly, against them, and keep them on the phone for hours–time that can’t be spent against real people.
—Richard Nieva, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for on the phone
Dictionary Entries Near on the phone
Cite this Entry
“On the phone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20phone. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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