1 A2 neutral
To continue riding without stopping.
"Despite the rain, they decided to ride on until they reached the next town."
inseparable
ride on
B1 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
To continue riding, or for an outcome to depend critically on something.
In plain English
To keep riding, or — more importantly — when something really important depends on something else happening.
What does "ride on" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
For an outcome, success, or result to depend critically on something.
"Everything rides on this final interview — if it goes well, she gets the job."
“
A lot rides on this vote.
— BBC News, used frequently in political reporting (e.g. Brexit coverage, 2019)
inseparable
3 A2 neutral
To travel on top of something or be carried along by a force or wave.
"The surfer rode on the enormous wave for nearly thirty seconds."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To continue riding on top of something.
Actually means
To keep riding, or — more importantly — when something really important depends on something else happening.
Usage tip
The figurative sense ('a lot rides on this') is extremely common in journalism and everyday speech. It conveys high stakes. The phrase 'a great deal rides on' is a near-fixed collocation.
Words that pair with "ride on"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
outcome decision result performance vote deal
How to conjugate "ride on"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
ride on
I/you/we/they
3rd person
rides on
he/she/it
Past simple
rode on
yesterday
Past participle
ridden on
have + pp
-ing form
riding on
continuous
Hear "ride on" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "ride on" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "ride on"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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