1
b
: to travel to a place
goes to the office every morning
went to the gas station before heading home
c
: to travel to and stay in a place for a period of time
went to Paris for a month
plan to go to their beach house for the summer
2
3
a
: to take a certain course or follow a certain procedure
reports go through channels to the president
b
: to pass by means of a process like journeying
the message went by wire
c
: to proceed without delay and often in a thoughtless or reckless manner
—used especially to intensify a complementary verb
why did you go and spoil it
go jump in a lake
d(1)
: to extend from point to point or in a certain direction
the road goes to the lake
(2)
: to give access : lead
that door goes to the cellar
4
obsolete
: walk
5
: to be habitually in a certain state or condition
go bareheaded
6
a
: to become lost, consumed, or spent
our time has gone
b
: die
c
: to slip away : elapse
the evening went quickly
d
: to come to be given up or discarded
this clutter has to go
e
: to pass by sale
went for a good price
f
: to become impaired or weakened
his hearing started to go
g
: to give way especially under great force or pressure : break
the roof went
7
8
a
: to apply oneself
went to work on the problem
b
: to put or subject oneself
went to unnecessary expense
c
chiefly Southern US and Midland US
: intend
I didn't go to do it
9
a
: to have recourse to another for corroboration, vindication, or decision : resort
go to court to recover damages
b
: to be guided, governed, or regulated
We were just going by what we'd been told.
The police tried to locate the culprit, but they didn't have much to go on.
: to act in agreement or cooperation
… the echo of my girlfriend's voice comes into my head, saying, "Whatever happens, just go with it."—
Jason Schwartzman
10
a
: to begin an action or motion
here goes
b
: to maintain or perform a certain action or motion
still going strong
c
: to function in the proper or expected manner : run
the motor won't go
11
: to be known
goes by an alias
12
a
: to act in accordance or harmony
a good rule to go by
b
: to come to be determined
dreams go by contraries
c
: to come to be applied or appropriated
all proceeds go to charity
d
: to pass by award, assignment, or lot
the prize went to a sophomore
e(1)
: to contribute to an end or result
qualities that go to make a hero
(2)
: to be of advantage
has a lot going for her
13
: to be about, intending, or expecting something
—used in a progressive tense before an infinitive
is going to leave town
14
a
: extend
his knowledge fails to go very deep
b
: to come or arrive at a certain state or condition
go to sleep
" … I finally went to pieces and couldn't stop crying for two hours. … "—Gwendoline Christie
see also go into sense 2 (below)
c
: to come to be : become
the tire went flat
—often used to express conversion to specified values or a specified stategone Hollywood
go condo
d
: to undergo a change
leaves go from green to red
15
a
: to be in phrasing or expression : read
as the story goes
b
: to be capable of being sung or played
the tune goes like this
16
: to be compatible, suitable, or becoming : harmonize
the tie goes with his suit
17
a
: to be capable of passing, extending, or being contained or inserted
will these clothes go in your suitcase
b
: to have a usual or proper place or position : belong
these books go on the top shelf
18
: to have a tendency : conduce
it goes to show
19
a(1)
: to carry authority
what she said went
(2)
: to be acceptable, satisfactory, or adequate
anything goes here
b
: to hold true : be valid
the rule goes for you, too
20
: to empty the bladder or bowels
1
: to proceed along or according to : follow
if I were going his way
went the conventional route
2
: to travel through or along : traverse
went the length of the street
3
4
a
: to assume the function or obligation of
promised to go bail for his friend
b
: to participate to the extent of
decided to go halves on the winnings
6
7
a
: to cause (a characteristic sound) to occur
the gun went bang
b
: say
—used chiefly in oral narration of speech
… I started trying to write a novel. I spent about six months on it. And at a certain point I go, "You know, I don't want to finish this. …"—Quentin Tarantino
8
: to engage in
don't go telling everyone
9
of a sports team or player
: to have a record of
went 11–0 last season
see also to go
plural goes
1
: the act or manner of going
2
: the height of fashion : rage
elegant shawls labeled … "quite the go"—R. S. Surtees
3
: an often unexpected turn of affairs : occurrence
4
: the quantity used or furnished at one time
you can obtain a go of brandy for sixpence—C. B. Fairbanks
7
: a spell of activity
finished the job at one go
8
: success
made a go of the business
9
: permission to proceed : go-ahead
gave the astronauts a go for another orbit
: functioning properly : being in good and ready condition
declared all systems go
often capitalized
: a game played between two players who alternately place black and white stones on a board checkered by 19 vertical lines and 19 horizontal lines in an attempt to enclose the larger area on the board
Phrases
go about
: to set about : to begin to do
: to try to get : seek
1
: to enter into complete agreement
2
: to engage in sexual intercourse
1
a
: to make an attack on
b
: to make an approach to
went at the problem from different angles
2
1
: abandon
She went back on her word.
2
: betray
3
: fail
was afraid that his mind might go back on him
: to be in little demand
1
: to be carried over a ship's side
2
: to be discarded
Budget cuts meant that some projects had to go by the board.
: to be sparing
go easy with the sugar
go easy on the kid
: to stop being an annoyance or disturbance
told him to go fly a kite
1
: to pass for or serve as
Silvered glass once went for mirrors.
2
: to try to secure or attain (something, such as a goal)
go for the prize
3
: to put forth all one's strength or resources
went for broke to qualify for the Olympics
: to achieve great success
The movie was going great guns worldwide.
: to cease to be of interest or concern
1
: to be contained in (something)
5 goes into 60 12 times
2
a
: to begin to be in (a specified state or condition)
The fugitive went into hiding.
"Scott went into a tizzy," she said.—Lucinda Franks
I went into a deep funk over the nasty things I've written …—P. J. O'Rourke
Her body began jerking violently, and she went into a coma.—Patrick Rogers et al.
Seven months later Wall Street crashed and the economy went into freefall.—Bill Bryson
b
: to begin (a specified kind of movement)
The plane went into a tailspin.
… the car hit a patch of ice and went into a skid …—Ron Fimrite
3
: to enter (something) as a profession or occupation
She decided to go into law/medicine.
He went into business for himself.
4
: to subject (something) to examination or discussion
The auditors went into every aspect of the company's operations.
I'll explain later—I don't have the time to go into it right now.
She told me briefly what had happened, but didn't go into too much detail.
1
: to behave in a reckless, excited, or impromptu manner
2
: to proceed in a rapid or furious manner
3
: to conduct one's affairs : act
insists on going it alone
chiefly British
: to become lost : disappear
1
: examine
went over the test results
: to be on the way to success
: to make a public disclosure
: to date one person exclusively and frequently
1
: to subject to thorough examination, consideration, or study
went through the list of items one by one
2
: experience, undergo
had to go through quite an ordeal
: to have sexual intercourse with
1
: to cause one to become confused, excited, or dizzy
The wine went to his head.
2
: to cause one to become conceited or overconfident
Fame went to her head.
: to become shattered (as in nerves or health)
: to make an all-out combative effort (as in support of a position)
1
: to work or act rapidly or efficiently
They went to town on decorating the building.
2
: to be markedly successful
The team really went to town, winning 14–0.
3
: to indulge oneself excessively
He went to town on a big platter of beef and potatoes.
1
: date
2
: choose sense 2
went with an iron off the tee
: to be self-evident
: to no avail : useless
Attempts to get the computer running have been no go.
: constantly or restlessly active
a housewife and mother who's always on the go
Synonyms
Examples of go in a Sentence
Verb
He went to the window and looked out at the yard.
She goes to the office every morning and comes home in the evening.
I'm tired. Let's go home.
She went downstairs to the kitchen.
The train goes from New York to Chicago.
I went with my family to Rome last year.
We're going to Iowa for a week.
The car was going too fast.
How much farther do we have to go?
She went a long way to see him.
Noun (1)
snowboarding is all the go
a healthy six-year-old full of go
it took several goes to get the car started
a young executive with the go to make this company grow
Adjective
all systems are go
Recent Examples on the Web
Chris Vannini, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
Will his incoming attorney general or will his FBI director [go after Trump's political enemies]?
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024
Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
With a convenient lid and handle, this mug is a staple for sipping on the go.
—Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2024
Joey Knight, Dallas News, 14 Jan. 2023
This is my new go-spring treat for sunny afternoons and porch-chair traveling.
—Kim Sunée, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Apr. 2021
See all Example Sentences for go 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
But the committee went with the ACC this time, putting 11-2 SMU in the field as the last at-large team, the No. 11 seed with a first-round trip to Penn State on the docket, and leaving 9-3 Alabama out.
—Noun
The charging case for storing the earbuds adds up to 40 hours of extra playtime to the earbuds for topping up the charge on the go.
—Adjective
If the Cowboys opt for the poison preferred recently by Carolina, Evans — Tampa Bay’s career receiving yardage leader — could conduct a go-route clinic.
—
Dictionary Entries Near go
Cite this Entry
“Go.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/go. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
go
1 of 3 verb1
: to move on a course : proceed
go slow
go by train
2
b
: follow entry 1 sense 4, traverse
go the whole route
go my way
3
a
: to pass by a process like journeying
the message went by wire
the prize went to the winner
b
: extend sense 4, run
our land goes to the river
c
: lead entry 1 sense 1d
that door goes to the cellar
4
: to be habitually in a certain state
goes bareheaded
5
6
a
: to be in general or on an average
cheap, as yachts go
b
: to become especially as the result of a contest
decision went against us
7
: to put or subject oneself
go to great expense
8
: to make use of to settle a dispute : resort
go to court to recover damages
9
a
: to begin or continue an action or motion
go when the light turns
drums going strong
b
: to function properly
get the motor to go
10
: to be known
goes by a nickname
11
: to be or act in agreement
a good rule to go by
12
: to contribute to a result
qualities that go to make a hero
13
a
: to be about, intending, or expecting
is going to leave town
b
: to come or arrive at a certain state or condition
go to sleep
c
: to come to be
the tire went flat
14
a
: to be able to be placed
these clothes will go in your suitcase
b
: to have a usual or proper place
these books go on the top shelf
c
: to be capable of being contained in another quantity
5 goes into 60 12 times
15
: to be likely : tend
goes to show they can be trusted
16
: to be acceptable or satisfactory
any kind of dress goes
17
: bet entry 2 sense 1, bid
willing to go $50
18
a
: to be as expressed
as the story goes
b
: to be capable of being sung or played
the tune goes like this
goer
noun
go
2 of 3 noun
plural goes
1
: the height of fashion
that dress is all the go
2
: energy sense 1, vigor
full of go
3
a
: attempt entry 2 sense 1, try
have a go at it
b
: a spell of activity
did it in one go
c
: success sense 1c
make a go of a business
go
3 of 3 adjective
: in good and ready condition
all systems are go
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