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• on-message
  on-message

  adjective

  focused on the central theme or official message of a political, business, or other organization.
• on message
  on message

  adjective

  (on-message when prenominal) adhering to or reflecting the official line of a political party, government, or other organization

on-message

American  

[on-mes-ij, awn‐] / ˈɒnˈmɛs ɪdʒ, ˈɔn‐ /

adjective

1. focused on the central theme or official message of a political, business, or other organization.

   The candidate's promises are on-message and echo the party platform. Your company’s ads should be entertaining and on-message.

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on message British  

adjective

1. (on-message when prenominal) adhering to or reflecting the official line of a political party, government, or other organization

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Etymology

Origin of on-message

First recorded in 1995–2000; on ( def. ) + message ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

on-message on message

But Ossoff, who’s running for reelection in a swing state that Trump won twice, is a deliberate and relentlessly on-message communicator—sometimes to the point of looking and sounding a little scripted.

From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026

But Elordi seemed less on-message when I asked him whether this had really happened.

From BBC ● Feb. 13, 2026

But overall, Fivio said with a politician’s on-message discipline, he is hoping to divorce drill’s distinct musical quirks from its expected subject matter.

From New York Times ● Apr. 7, 2022

He does seem to enjoy the give and take with reporters, but he likes it far more than his on-message advisers.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 19, 2022

It was a notably sharper tone from Harris’ typically muted and on-message public appearances, where she rarely diverts from talking points or prepared remarks.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 17, 2021

In Michigan, it went on like that: on message.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

If the discussion keeps going in circles, outline the objectives to keep people on message.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

But it also means no pushing back on very bad ideas, or warning when things are going wrong, or insisting the president stay on message.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026

Back in the early days, Loftis posted his work on message boards and sold it on DVDs.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026

At the receiving end the tape was taken by other clerks who translated the Morse characters into ordinary words, which were written on message blanks for delivery to persons for whom the messages were intended.

From Edison, His Life and Inventions by Frank Lewis Dyer