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Glite Dictionary
on to something

on to something

9 4.8
Thinking you have found an important idea or clue
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : estar en algo
  • We may actually be on to something here.
  • think you're on to something
  • on to something big
  • on to something else

And that you feel like you're just on to something bigger than you, you know.

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Examples

  • I thought he was crazy, but maybe he was on to something.

    Killer Raccoons 2: Dark Christmas in the Dark (2019)

  • But is it not possible that Heidegger, in particular, is on to something?

    Academic text (2017)

  • Now we're getting on to something, he says.

  • I think he might be on to something actually.

    Ezra (2024)

  • We are on to something here, all right!

    Grave Encounters (2011)

  • We may be on to something.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • I actually think you're on to something.

    Hop (2011)

  • Geordi says that they may be on to something.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • However, I do believe he's on to something by establishing the pensionable salary cap.

    Blog text (26)

  • I think we're on to something important with this new research project.

Synonyms

onto
vson to something
  • Informal
442 5.3

To become aware of a secret or plan

is about finding important truths generally rather than only secrets
to be on to
vson to something
  • Informal
54 6.8

To know that someone has secret plans and is about to be found out

is about discovering important truths or being close to finding them
to come upon
vson to something
50 2.2

To find something or someone by chance

is about discovering importance or truth rather than mere accidental finding
to hit upon
vson to something
7 4.9

To find or think of something by chance

is about realizing an important truth rather than a chance discovery

Antonyms

ignorant
367 3.7

Not knowing about something or how it works

unaware
175 2.9

Not knowing that something is happening or true

How Aware

on to something
  • Informal
9 4.8
suspicious
300 2.7
unaware
175 2.9

Surface Forms

on to something positive

Morphology

on + to + something

The components 'on' + 'to' + 'something' literally suggest being situated toward or focused on an unspecified thing, so a learner could infer a relation to attention or direction. However, the conventional sense 'having discovered or being close to discovering something important' is a metaphorical extension of that spatial/attentional idea and is not fully predictable without exposure, so the expression is only partially transparent to B1 learners.

Etymology

On to something may come from the simple image of moving on to something important, like a detective following a clue and arriving at the next big lead. So it means 'having discovered or being close to discovering something important'.