bring on
Britishverb
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to induce or cause
these pills will bring on labour
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slang to cause sexual excitement in; stimulate
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Cause to happen, produce, as in His cold brought on an asthma attack . This usage was first recorded in John Milton's Samson Agonistes (1671): “These evils . . . I myself have brought them on.” Also see bring about .
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Cause to appear or bring into action, as in Bring on the jugglers . [Mid-1800s]
Usage
The second sense of this word was formerly considered to be taboo, and it was labelled as such in previous editions of Collins English Dictionary . However, it has now become acceptable in speech, although some older or more conservative people may object to its use
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But as far as my body's concerned… bring on the next game!
From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026
“It’s a good time, actually, to start thinking about the future and bring on some other outside investors,” he told CNBC.
From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026
Lululemon’s board needs to bring on people who will shake up the status quo, rather than rotating in executives from legacy consumer brands like Procter and Gamble, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
He said he felt the “weight that this is going to bring on our family.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026
If I’m going to imitate Kandinsky, I’m going to have to bring on the shapes.
From "A Mango-Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
