Meaning & use
sign on
To officially commit to something, such as a job or agreement, or, in Britain, to register to receive unemployment benefits.
See it in a sentence
He had to sign on at the job center every two weeks while unemployed.
She was excited to sign on for the new project starting next month.
A note on using this word
The British sense of claiming unemployment benefits is distinct from the general sense of formally agreeing to join something.
Words with a similar meaning
enrollregister
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
sign off
Another way to use it
2. noun
A payment given to a new employee or athlete when they first join, also called a sign-on bonus.
The company offered a generous sign-on to attract experienced engineers.
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