move on: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2 (Upper Intermediate)Informal to neutral. Common in spoken language, self-help, advice, journalism, and everyday conversation.
Quick answer
What does “move on” mean?
To stop thinking or talking about a past event, situation, or relationship and focus on the present or future.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To stop thinking or talking about a past event, situation, or relationship and focus on the present or future.
1. To progress or advance to a new stage or topic. 2. To leave one place, job, or situation and go to another. 3. To accept a new reality and stop dwelling on the past. 4. To cease giving attention to something and start dealing with something else.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The form and meaning are identical. 'Move on' is equally common and used in the same contexts.
Connotations
In both varieties, it often carries a positive, forward-looking connotation of emotional recovery or progress, but can sometimes sound dismissive if used insensitively (e.g., telling someone to 'just move on' from grief).
Frequency
Very high frequency in both dialects with no significant disparity.
Grammar
How to Use “move on” in a Sentence
[Subject] + move on + (from [object])[Subject] + move on + to [new object]Imperative: Move on!Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “move on” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- It's tough, but you have to move on.
- The presenter moved on to the next agenda item.
- After the scandal, the MP was forced to move on from politics.
American English
- She decided to move on from the relationship.
- Let's move on to the next topic.
- The company needs to move on and innovate.
adverb
British English
- N/A - 'move on' is not used as a standard adverb.
American English
- N/A - 'move on' is not used as a standard adverb.
adjective
British English
- A move-on attitude is essential in this fast-paced industry. (Rare, informal)
- He's very much a move-on type, never looking back.
American English
- She has a very move-on philosophy about life. (Rare, informal)
- We need a move-on strategy for the team.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
We need to move on from this failed project and focus on Q3 targets.
Academic
The paper moves on to discuss the implications of these findings for future research.
Everyday
It's been a year since the breakup; I think it's time to move on.
Technical
The software update failed; the system will move on to the next scheduled task.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “move on”
- Using 'move on' without 'from' when specifying the past issue: *'He can't move on his ex.' (Correct: '...move on from his ex.')
- Using it for simple physical relocation: *'We moved on to a new flat last month.' (Use 'moved to').
- Confusing tense: *'I am moving on from my job next week.' (For a planned physical/ job change, 'moving on' is less common; use 'leaving' or 'starting a new job').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neutral but very common in informal spoken English. It can be used in formal writing (e.g., business, academic) when discussing progression of ideas or processes.
'Get over' focuses more on the internal process of recovering from an emotional setback (e.g., get over an illness, a breakup). 'Move on' focuses more on the subsequent action of progressing forward with your life after that recovery has begun.
Yes, but typically in specific contexts like traffic ('The police told the crowd to move on'), progressing through a list ('Let's move on to item 5'), or changing location as part of a journey ('We stayed in Paris for two days before moving on to Lyon'). For changing house, 'move to' is standard.
It can be perceived as insensitive or dismissive if the person is in the early stages of grief or dealing with a serious issue. Softer phrases like 'It might be helpful to try to focus on the future' or 'I know it's hard, but with time...' are often more appropriate.
To stop thinking or talking about a past event, situation, or relationship and focus on the present or future.
Move on: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmuːv ˈɒn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmuv ˈɑn/ or /ˌmuv ˈɔn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Turn the page”
- “Close the chapter”
- “Let bygones be bygones”
- “Don't look back”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a chess piece (like a pawn) that gets stuck. To win the game, you must MOVE the piece ON to the next square.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A JOURNEY / TIME IS MOTION FORWARD. 'Moving on' conceptualizes emotional states or life stages as locations on a path. Leaving a bad state behind is moving forward on the path.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'move on' used CORRECTLY in its most common emotional sense?