on-the-spot
Americanadjective
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At once, without delay, as in When the boss learned Tom had been lying, he fired him on the spot . This usage suggests that one does not have time to move away from a particular spot. [Late 1600s]
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At the scene of action, as in Whenever there's a bad accident or fire, you can be sure the station will have a reporter on the spot . This usage also employs spot in the sense of “a particular location.” [Late 1600s]
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Under pressure or in trouble, as in He's on the spot, because he can't pay back the loan . It is also phrased as put on the spot , meaning “put under pressure.” For example, The reporter's question put her on the spot; she didn't want to lie or to admit her part in the scandal . [First half of 1900s]
Etymology
Origin of on-the-spot
First recorded in 1885–90
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.
Others only were able to keep running because the company paid prices for on-the-spot gas that had surged to several times the typical price.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026
So, in terms of stress, watching baby animals playing is the opposite of a surprise job interview or an on-the-spot subtraction task.
From BBC • Oct. 12, 2025
Turkish citizens this summer are able to visit 10 Greek islands using on-the-spot visas, skipping a more cumbersome procedure needed to enter Europe’s common travel area zone, known as the Schengen area.
From Seattle Times • May 11, 2024
Dan Levy and Heidi Gardner doing on-the-spot neighborhood research for Homes.com.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2024
From 145th Street to 149th Street, policemen had blocked off all automobile traffic except for their own cars, the newspapers’ cars, and the equipment trucks for radio and television on-the-spot coverage.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
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.
