Communicating or Discussing (On), Depending, Trusting, or Encouraging (On), Striving, Risking, or Revealing (On) and 6 More Topics · Phrasal Verbs with On And Upon

to speak at length in a tedious manner, often to the point of being boring or uninteresting

"The speaker droned on boringly."

"The speaker droned on for nearly two hours about topics that did not interest anyone in the audience at all."

to provide more details, information, or a more comprehensive explanation about a particular topic or idea

"Please expand on your main argument."

"The professor asked the student to expand on his answer because the first response was too short and vague."

to start discussing or addressing a specific topic or subject in a conversation or discussion

"Let's get on to the next point."

"After explaining the basics the teacher got on to the more advanced topics that the students had been waiting to learn."

to repeatedly talk or complain about something, often in an annoying or boring manner

"Stop harping on that mistake."

"My mother always harps on me about cleaning my room even though I am a grown adult now."

to declare one's judgment or authoritative opinion about something

"The judge pronounced on the case."

"The judge will pronounce on the legality of the new law after hearing arguments from both sides."

to inform someone about something or someone useful

"He put me on to this book."

"My friend put me on to a great new restaurant that serves the best pizza I have ever tasted."

to talk or write in a long, unfocused, and aimless way

"He rambled on about nothing."

"The old man rambled on about his childhood for hours without noticing that no one was listening to him anymore."

to inform someone of surprising news or information

"She did not spring it on him."

"My boss decided to spring on the team the news about the sudden company merger during the meeting."

to briefly mention a subject in written or spoken discussion

"The lecture touched on many topics."

"The lecture touched on many important topics but did not explore any of them in great detail."

to talk continuously about unimportant matters

"He wittered on endlessly."

"The politician wittered on about unimportant details while the real issues were completely ignored by everyone in the room."

to officially ask a person or organization to do something

"We call on them."

"The United Nations will call on all member states to contribute to the relief efforts."

to have a good, friendly, or smooth relationship with a person, group, or animal

"We get on well."

"Despite their initial differences, the new colleagues managed to get on very well from the start."

to flirt with someone, often with romantic or sexual intentions

"Strangers often hit on her at bars."

"The man at the bar tried to hit on her but she was not interested at all."

to put hope and trust in a person or thing

"Bank on his support."

"The team is banking on their star player to recover from his injury in time for the championship final."

to develop something using certain facts, ideas, situations, etc.

"Base your decision on evidence."

"The movie is based on a true story about a soldier who saved many lives during the war."

to loudly support or encourage someone, especially during a performance or competition

"Cheer on your favorite team."

"The fans gathered at the stadium to cheer on their favorite team during the championship match."

to put trust in something or someone

"You can count on me for help."

"You can always count on me for help whenever you need it because that is what friends are for."

to encourage or provoke someone to do something, especially something risky

"The crowd egged him on."

"The crowd egged on the two fighters by shouting and cheering as they circled each other in the street."

to be established or rooted in a specific idea, belief, or principle

"The law was found on justice."

"The company's success was found on principles of innovation and customer satisfaction, guiding all its decisions."

to assist someone in putting on a piece of clothing

"Help him on with his coat."

"The father helped his young son on with his backpack before the boy ran out the door to catch the school bus."

(of an outcome, decision, or situation) to depend entirely on a particular factor or set of circumstances

"The decision hinges on the test results."

"The outcome of the entire trial could hinge on the testimony of a single key witness."

to achieve success or progress based on the outcome of a particular situation or circumstance

"Success rides on careful planning."

"The outcome of the election rides on whether undecided voters choose to support the current candidate or the challenger."

to provide encouragement and motivation for someone

"The praise spurred him on."

"The coach's encouraging words spurred on the athletes to give their best performance of the entire season."

to be determined or affected by something else

"Children depend on their parents."

"The success of the event will depend on the weather because it is planned to be outdoors."

to rely on something, such as a wall, for physical support or stability

"Lean on me."

"The old man had to lean on his walking stick for stability as he climbed the steep stairs."

to have faith in someone or something

"You can rely on me."

"You can always rely on your best friend to give you honest advice when you need it."

to direct one's attention, energy, or efforts toward a particular goal, task, or objective

"Focus on the task."

"The team decided to focus on improving customer service to boost overall satisfaction."

to provide information to law enforcement or authorities about someone's actions, particularly illegal or unethical actions

"He informed on his accomplice."

"The criminal decided to inform on his accomplices in exchange for a reduced sentence from the judge."

to demand something firmly and persistently

"I insist on speaking with manager."

"My mother always insists on washing the dishes immediately after dinner instead of letting them soak in the sink."

to reveal information that was meant to be kept a secret

"Do not let on about the surprise."

"He knew about the surprise party but he did not let on that he had seen everyone hiding in the living room."

to give away information one has obtained about someone, particularly to someone in authority

"I will tell on you."

"The little girl told on her brother for eating a cookie before dinner even though their mother had said not to."

to watch an event or incident without getting involved

"The crowd looked on in amazement."

"The crowd looked on in horror as the building collapsed during the powerful earthquake."

to secretly observe someone or something with the intention of gathering confidential or hidden information

"Don't spy on your friends."

"The jealous husband hired a private detective to spy on his wife and find out where she was going every afternoon."

to focus one's effort, time, or attention on something in order to achieve a particular goal

"She works on her project all day."

"I need to work on my presentation tonight because I am presenting it to the board tomorrow."

to have a secret romantic or sexual relationship with someone other than one's own partner

"He cheats on her."

"It is deeply hurtful when someone discovers their partner has chosen to cheat on them."

to continually annoy or irritate someone

"His voice grates on me."

"The sound of his loud chewing really grates on my nerves and makes me want to leave the table."

to harshly criticize someone for their actions

"Jump on his mistake."

"The other students jumped on him for making a small mistake during the presentation even though they often made the same errors themselves."

to intentionally deceive someone by making them believe something that is not true

"Don't lead on your friends."

"She accused him of leading her on by acting interested in a relationship when he only wanted to be friends."

to keep treating someone unfairly or making unfair remarks about them

"Stop picking on your little brother."

"The older children at school tend to pick on the younger smaller kids because they think it is funny to bully them."

to disappoint someone by not fulfilling a commitment or promise

"He piked on the deal."

"He said he would help us move the furniture but then he piked on us at the last minute without any explanation."

to take advantage of someone's feelings or weaknesses

"Do not play on my insecurities."

"The clever advertisement tried to play on people's fears to convince them to buy the security product."

to suddenly confront, attack, or shout angrily at someone

"The dog rounded on its attacker."

"The usually calm manager rounded on the employee for making a careless mistake that cost the company an important client."

to attack someone aggressively, either physically or verbally

"The dogs set on the intruder."

"The farmer set his dogs on the intruder who was trying to steal apples from the orchard at night."

to cause worry or unhappiness due to a problem or responsibility

"The guilt weighs on him."

"The guilt of lying to her parents weighed on her heavily until she finally decided to confess the truth."

to take advantage of those who are vulnerable or easily fooled

"He will prey on you."

"Scammers often prey on the elderly by exploiting their trust and lack of technological familiarity."

to become unfriendly or hostile toward someone or something

"She can turn on you."

"The once-loyal ally decided to turn on his colleagues when he saw an opportunity for personal gain."

to carefully think about something for a while

"Chew on this problem awhile."

"The little boy chewed on his pencil while he thought about the answer to the difficult math problem."

to manage to understand something, typically following an initial period of challenge or difficulty

"She finally cottoned on to the truth."

"It took the police a while to cotton on to the fact that the thief was using a fake identity to rent the cars."

to become clear, evident, or understood, particularly after some time

"It dawned on me suddenly."

"It suddenly dawned on me that I had left my keys inside the car after I had already locked the doors."

to think or talk about something at length, often to the point of overthinking or obsessing about it

"Do not dwell on the past."

"There is no point in dwelling on your past mistakes because you cannot change them and you need to focus on the future."

to think carefully and deeply about something

"Reflect on your past mistakes."

"Take some time to reflect on your past mistakes so you can learn from them and grow as a person."

to intend to do something in the future based on certain considerations or expectations

"I plan on leaving early."

"We plan on leaving early tomorrow morning to avoid the heavy traffic on the highway."

to understand a concept

"I did not catch on."

"It took the students a few minutes to catch on to the new grammar rule but eventually everyone understood it completely."

to postpone making a decision until the next day or a later time, often to think about it more

"Sleep on the decision overnight."

"He decided to sleep on the difficult decision and give his answer in the morning after thinking about it carefully."

to finally understand something, usually after some initial difficulty

"I did latch on."

"After much deliberation, the students finally began to latch on to the complex theoretical concepts presented."

to use something as a basis for further development

"We can build on this success."

"The young athlete hopes to build on her recent success at the national championships and qualify for the Olympic team next year."

to use a particular situation, resources, or opportunity effectively to gain some benefit

"He capitalizes on every business opportunity."

"The company hopes to capitalize on the growing demand for organic food by launching a new product line."

to regularly eat a specific type of food to stay alive and grow

"Cattle feed on grass."

"The owls feed on small rodents and insects that they hunt at night in the dark forest."

to be wearing an item of clothing or accessory

"What do you have on?"

"She looked quite stylish today, and I admired the elegant scarf she had on around her neck."

to wear a garment by pulling it over one's body without fastening it

"Pull on your boots quickly please."

"She pulled on her warm boots before going outside to play in the snow with her little brother."

to not provide enough time, money, or resources for something, which often leads to a lower-quality result or outcome

"Do not skimp on quality."

"Do not skimp on the quality of the ingredients when you are cooking for guests because they will be able to taste the difference."

to use money in exchange for the purchase of a specific item or the utilization of a particular service

"Spend money on experiences."

"She decided to spend her bonus money on a new laptop for her studies instead of buying expensive clothes."

to put on a piece of clothing hastily and without care

"Throw on a jacket before leaving."

"She was running late so she just threw on a pair of jeans and a t shirt before rushing out the door to catch her bus."

to put on a piece of clothing to see if it fits and how it looks

"Try on this jacket before buying."

"You should try on the jacket before buying it to make sure it fits you properly."

to eat mainly one type of food, often in an unhealthy or unbalanced way

"They live on rice."

"Many people in developing countries are forced to live on a monotonous diet of rice and beans due to scarcity."

to hunt, capture, and eat other animals as a means of survival

"Lions prey on zebras."

"Sharks are apex predators that often prey on smaller fish and marine mammals."

to place or wear something on the body, including clothes, accessories, etc.

"Put on your coat outside."

"She needs to put on her coat and boots before going outside into the cold snow."

to disapprove of or have a negative opinion about something, particularly due to being improper or unacceptable

"The school frowns on cheating."

"Many traditional cultures frown on public displays of affection between couples who are not yet officially married to each other."

to keep criticizing or complaining to someone about their behavior, work, or actions

"Don't go on at me."

"My boss tends to go on at me about minor mistakes, making me feel constantly scrutinized and stressed."

to supply someone with something, particularly food or entertainment

"They will lay on a big party."

"The hotel staff agreed to lay on a wonderful buffet for all the guests at the wedding reception."

to decide something, after considering all possible alternatives

"They finally settled on a wedding date."

"After viewing several apartments they finally settled on a small but cozy two bedroom unit near the park."

to forcefully eliminate something that is disapproved of or unwanted

"He will stamp on it."

"The committee was determined to stamp on any attempts to introduce controversial changes to the regulations."

to angrily complain to someone about something they did

"She started on at him again."

"My father started on at me again about getting a job as soon as I finished university because he worries about my future."

to provide service, mainly in a restaurant, cafe, bar, etc.

"The waiter waits on tables."

"The butler waited on the wealthy family hand and foot fulfilling their every request before they even had to ask."

to experience success or good fortune as if one is favored by luck, fate, or a higher power

"Fortune smiled on them."

"Luck seemed to smile on the young gambler who won every hand of poker that he played that night."

to not fulfill a promise or agreement

"Don't rat on your promise."

"He decided to rat on the deal, causing significant problems for everyone involved."

to accept a change or a new situation and be ready to continue with one's life and deal with new experiences, especially after a bad experience such as a breakup

"Let's move on to the next topic."

"After the divorce she decided to move on with her life and start a new career."

to transfer the possession or ownership of something to another person

"Please pass on the book."

"The seasoned artisan decided to pass on his valuable knowledge and intricate techniques to a promising apprentice."

to mark the start of one's work using a clock or some other electronic device

"She clocks on at nine."

"The factory workers must clock on at exactly eight in the morning or they will be marked as late."

to take a risk on a particular outcome, often with uncertain results

"Do not gamble on the stock market."

"The investor decided to gamble on the risky startup even though most experts predicted that it would fail within a year."

to gradually like someone or something more and more

"The song will grow on you."

"The new song was strange at first but it started to grow on me after I listened to it a few times."

to aim for a goal by taking a negative action, but experience unintended negative consequences

"His plan rebounded on him."

"The company's attempt to cut costs rebounded on them when the poor quality of their products caused customers to stop buying."

to refrain from addressing a matter or making a decision

"They sit on the issue."

"The committee decided to sit on the controversial proposal until they had more information."

to risk something valuable, such as money, reputation, etc. based on the outcome of a particular situation

"He staked his reputation on it."

"I would stake my reputation on the fact that he is telling the truth because I have known him for twenty years."

to make something better compared to a previous state or standard

"Improve on your previous score."

"The new version of the software improves on the old one by fixing many bugs and adding useful features."

to find something or someone unexpectedly

"I stumbled on an old photograph."

"The archaeologist stumbled on a hidden cave while exploring the remote hillside and discovered ancient paintings on the walls."

to find or encounter something without actively searching for it

"We happened on a hidden cave."

"I happened on a beautiful little bookstore while wandering through the back streets of the old town."

to ask someone to wait briefly or pause for a moment

"Hang on, I am coming."

"Could you please hang on for a moment while I find the document you requested?"

to tell someone to wait or pause what they are doing momentarily

"Hold on, please wait."

"Could you hold on for a moment while I find the correct document?"

to affect someone or something, particularly in a burdensome way

"This will bear on us."

"The increasing financial burdens will inevitably bear on the family's ability to maintain their current lifestyle."

to move from one item or topic to the next in a sequence or discussion

"She went on to study law."

"After finishing high school, he went on to pursue a degree in engineering at a prestigious university."

to make progress or improve

"The team will come on."

"With consistent practice and dedicated effort, the young athletes are starting to come on remarkably well."

to experience a particular situation or outcome

"The job will fall on him."

"Unfortunately, the responsibility for organizing the entire event will fall on the least experienced member of the committee."

to have confidence that someone will fulfill one's wishes or requests

"You can count upon me."

"You can count upon her to always be punctual and prepared for every important meeting."

to depend on something for a particular outcome

"The decision hangs upon one vote."

"The outcome of the trial hangs upon the testimony of a single witness so the lawyers are very focused on her credibility."

to make a brief reference to a particular topic in the course of discussing something broader

"He touched upon many topics."

"The professor touched upon several important topics during the lecture but did not have time to explore any of them in depth."

to make a choice or reach a conclusion after careful consideration

"Decide upon a color scheme."

"The committee has not yet decided upon a date for the next meeting because several members have scheduling conflicts."

to take advantage of someone's feelings, fears, or weaknesses

"He plays upon fear."

"The manipulative salesperson attempted to play upon the customer's insecurities to make a sale."

to dedicate time and effort to produce or fix something

"Work upon his sense of duty."

"The sculptor worked upon the block of marble for months slowly revealing the beautiful figure hidden inside the stone."

to encounter someone or something unexpectedly

"Come upon it by chance."

"I came upon an old friend while walking through the park yesterday."

to encounter suddenly or unexpectedly

"We did fall upon old friends."

"While hiking in the mountains, we happened to fall upon a beautiful hidden waterfall that nobody knew about."

to suddenly have a great idea

"She hit upon a great idea."

"After hours of brainstorming the team finally hit upon a creative solution to the problem that had seemed impossible to solve."