gain on

verb

gained on; gaining on; gains on
: to come nearer to (someone or something that is ahead in a race or competition)
She was still leading at the halfway point, but the other runners were gaining on her.

Examples of gain on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
With Florida leading a 20-17 lead, however, Baugh ripped off a 13-yard gain on second down and eventually capped the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026 These figures do not necessarily translate into gains on the bottom line, however. — Lindsay Dodgson, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026 The company claims 90% of users improve scores by three points on average, a notable gain on the ACT’s 36-point scale. — Richard Eisenberg, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 He is crippled by doubt, convinced that others are gaining on him. — Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gain on

Rhymes for gain on

See All Rhymes for gain on

Browse Nearby Words

gainly
gain on
gainor
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gain on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gain%20on. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All