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Commonly Confused Words
On/Upon
Master confusing words with ease
Neither/Nither
Principal/Principle
Acknowledgment/Acknowledgement
Sanguinary/Sanguine
Upon vs. On
Upon
/ə'pɔn/
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Shows something happening because of or immediately after an event or action
Examples:
The decision depends
upon
you.
Upon
arrival, she called her friend.
Synonyms:
on
atop
above
Antonyms:
under
beneath
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On
/ɒn/
Learn more about synonyms and antonyms
Indicating a position touching or in contact with the surface of a place or object
Examples:
The book is
on
the table.
I have a meeting
on
Monday.
Synonyms:
upon
Antonyms:
This word has no antonyms
Learn more about synonyms and antonyms
Ways to tell them apart:
On
is a preposition that refers to a position in contact with a surface or when something is supported by something else.
Upon
is often used more formally than
on
and can imply something that happens immediately after something else.
On
is commonly used in everyday speech, whereas
upon
is often seen in literary contexts.
Remember that
upon
is less commonly used in modern spoken English than
on
.
Consider
upon
as being more dramatic or poetic than
on
, which is practical and straightforward.
When to use upon:
When to use on:
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