on·to
ˈȯn-(ˌ)tü 
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 further—
Bosley Crowther
Bosley Crowther3
—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
: 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
Alex Rozier Mississippi Today, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
Festival chief Tricia Tuttle was keen to move the conversation at the presser away from politics and onto films.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
In one of the final shots of the movie, Cathy’s death — and that of her child — is apparent when a pool of blood begins to gather below her waist, dripping down onto the floor in a quite disturbing fashion.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Suspecting the driver was drunk or on drugs, Blanchette had pursued the speeding car from Route 2A in Montville onto I-395 and, now, Route 2.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for onto
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Preposition
That bill passed the House on Thursday and moves onto the Senate.
—Alex Rozier Mississippi Today, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
Festival chief Tricia Tuttle was keen to move the conversation at the presser away from politics and onto films.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
In one of the final shots of the movie, Cathy’s death — and that of her child — is apparent when a pool of blood begins to gather below her waist, dripping down onto the floor in a quite disturbing fashion.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Suspecting the driver was drunk or on drugs, Blanchette had pursued the speeding car from Route 2A in Montville onto I-395 and, now, Route 2.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for onto
Cite this Entry
“Onto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onto. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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