onto

1 of 2

preposition

on·​to ˈȯn-(ˌ)tü How to pronounce onto (audio)
ˈän-
1
: to a position on
We climbed onto the roof.
Turn left onto Fifth Avenue.
2
: in or into a state of awareness about
put me onto your methods
was onto something that should have been pursued furtherBosley Crowther
3
used as a function word to indicate a set each element of which is the image of at least one element of another set
a function mapping the set S onto the set T

onto

2 of 2

adjective

: mapping elements in such a way that every element in one set is the image of at least one element in another set
a function that is one-to-one and onto

Examples of onto in a Sentence

Preposition We climbed onto the building's roof. The book fell onto the floor. The water spilled onto the floor. The cowboy leaped onto his horse. Transfer the data onto a disk. Turn left onto Third Street at the traffic light.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Preposition
During the trial — which featured testimony from Gerardo Ortiz, a popular singer of Mexican regional music — Del Villar’s attorneys tried to shift the blame onto a former employee of Del Records, Brian Gutiérrez. Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2025 The cut climbs back onto the Official Singles Downloads chart, landing at No. 96. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025 Staff physically forced him onto a bed and removed his clothes. Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2025 Any savings would be passed onto the buyer at the discretion of the dealer. Susan Tompor, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for onto

Word History

First Known Use

Preposition

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1942, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of onto was in 1581

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Onto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onto. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

onto

preposition
on·​to
ˌȯn-tə,
ˌän-;
ˈȯn-tü,
ˈän-
1
: to a position on or against
leaped onto the horse
climbed onto the roof
2
: in a state of knowing about or becoming aware of
I'm onto their little game

More from Merriam-Webster on onto

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!