idiom · informal
on the wagon
UK/ɒn ðə ˈwæɡən/US/ɑn ðə ˈwæɡən/on·the·WAG·on
abstaining from drinking alcohol; having given up alcohol
Examples
“After the accident he decided to get sober and has been on the wagon for six months.”
“She tried to stay on the wagon during the holidays but found it hard.”
“He said he's on the wagon until his health improves.”
Band 8 sentence
“Following medical advice, he got on the wagon and hasn't touched alcohol since — his liver values improved dramatically.”
Collocations
- be on the wagon
- get on the wagon
Word family
Common mistakes
He went on wagon.→He went on the wagon.
He is on wagon since January.→He has been on the wagon since January.
Say it for a higher band
5stop drinking→6abstain from alcohol→7+on the wagon
Synonyms
be sober
Easily confused
off the wagon
“After a stressful week he went off the wagon and started drinking again.”
Related words
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In Health
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