Right on

[0055] Spot on

🎲 I'm all for it
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • Means Exactly right, Perfectly accurate, or Precisely correct.
  • Used to praise an observation, guess, description, or imitation for its accuracy.

Origin

  • British English origin, possibly from darts or shooting, where hitting the exact center spot is desired.
  • Dates back to at least the early 20th century.
  • Now widely used in other English-speaking regions too.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • Exactly right.
  • Precisely.
  • Accurate.
  • On the money.
  • On the nose.
  • Couldn't have said it better myself.
  • You hit the nail on the head. (Idiom)

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

  • Nailed it.
  • On point.
  • Dead right. (UK/Aus)
  • True dat. (Acknowledges truth, less about precision)
  • Word. (General agreement)
  • Preach. (Online, for strongly agreeing with an opinion)

Vulgar/Emphatic:

  • Fuckin' A.
  • Damn right.

Milder/Standard:

  • That's correct.
  • You are quite right.
  • Perfect.

Situational Appropriateness

  • Widely acceptable, from informal to semi-formal and even many professional contexts, especially in the UK/Commonwealth.
  • In highly formal US settings, Exactly right or Precisely might be preferred.

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • Unlikely to be misunderstood in context. Non-native speakers might need to learn it as an idiom for exactly correct.

Examples

  • Your analysis of the situation was spot on.
  • Person A: I guess you're feeling tired after that long drive? Person B: Spot on.
  • His imitation of the teacher was spot on!

Dialogue

Chef: How's the seasoning on the soup?

Critic: Spot on. Perfectly balanced.

Chef: Wonderful! I'm glad to hear it.

Critic: Your technique is impressive.

Social Media Examples

  • Tweet: Just read @ExpertAnalyst's take on the market trends. Spot on as usual. #Finance #Insights
  • Comment: Your description of the character's motivation was spot on! That's exactly how I interpreted it too. #BookClub
  • Reply: Q: Best pizza topping? A: Pepperoni. -> User B: Spot on.

Response Patterns

  • Thanks.
  • I thought so.
  • Glad you think so.
  • A smile or nod of acknowledgement.

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

After someone's observation is called Spot on:

  • The person who made the observation might elaborate (Yeah, I noticed the pattern earlier...).
  • The person confirming might add details (Spot on, especially regarding the market trends.).
  • The conversation continues, accepting the accuracy of the statement.

Conversation Starter

  • No.
  • Always a response to a statement, guess, or observation.

Intonation

  • Expresses admiration or confirmation of accuracy.
  • Stress usually on spot. SPOT on.
  • Can be said with emphasis: SPOT ON!
  • Falling intonation.

Generation Differences

  • Used across most adult generations. Perhaps slightly more common among Gen X and older in the US, but very common in the UK across ages.

Regional Variations

  • Very common in British, Australian, and New Zealand English.
  • Widely understood and used in American and Canadian English, but perhaps slightly less frequent than in the UK.
Right on
🎲 I'm all for it