1
informal
: relied on and regularly turned to for expert knowledge, skill, or performance
the company's go-to guy
Brown became the go-to researcher for genetic conundrums.—
Brad Lemley
Brad LemleyNowadays, one running back will get almost all of the carries, one reliever will get nearly all of the saves. And in the NBA, the evidence is mounting that "go-to guys" are scoring an ever greater proportion of the points in any particular game.—Steve Hirdt
Steve Hirdt2
informal
: regularly or repeatedly chosen or employed for reliably good results
O'Neal's go-to move has become a soft jump hook, which he can shoot with either hand.—Chris Ballard
Chris BallardWhile mozzarella may be the go-to cheese for pizza, … blue cheese … can also be great.—Sam Gugino
Sam GuginoA waitress came by and Reacher ordered his go-to breakfast, which was coffee plus a short stack of pancakes with eggs, bacon, and maple syrup.—Lee Child
Lee Child
plural go-tos also go-to's
: someone or something that is regularly or repeatedly chosen or employed for reliably good results
A neat pour of rye whiskey is usually my go-to after making cocktails all night; they have a great selection to choose from.—Sarah Troxell
Sarah TroxellI would say I get my style inspiration definitely from like that old, Hollywood classic look. I love Audrey Hepburn—she's my go-to.—Laura McKinney
Laura McKinney… cable channels such as Animal Planet, National Geographic and, especially, HGTV have become the go-tos for most waiting rooms.—Kevyn Burger
Kevyn BurgerShe styled four ultra-chic looks for the new season, combining both winter go-to's and some on-trend pieces for spring.—GoodMorningAmerica.com
GoodMorningAmerica.com
went to; gone to; going to; goes to
1
archaic
—used interjectionally as an exhortation
and they said one to another, go to, let us make brick—Genesis 11:3 (King James Version)
Genesis 11:3 (King James Version)2
archaic
—used interjectionally to express disapproval or disbelief
go to, go to; you have known what you should not—William Shakespeare
William ShakespeareExamples of go-to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebKatrina Michalak, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2024
It’s grown over the years to become one of the region’s go-to airlines, stealing market share from competitors along the way.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 29 Apr. 2024
Cleveland became a go-to model for American designer Halston.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 29 Apr. 2024
Best Amazon Travel Clothing Deals Amazon is always one of my go-to spots for easy travel outfits, and right now there are a ton of great spring looks that are heavily discounted.
—Amber Love Bond, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2024
Turning on the ceiling fan or cranking the central AC might be the go-to solution to beat the heat.
—Kayla Kitts, Peoplemag, 28 Apr. 2024
Women’s sports bars can be a reliable go-to for many events by having those subscriptions.
—Claire Rush, Fortune, 27 Apr. 2024
This one-bowl recipe is our go-to for summer potlucks, picnics, and barbecues.
—Nik Pugmire, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2024
There was nothing too involved about my routine, just a simple Cetaphil sensitive skin cleanser followed by my go-to SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum and Chantecaille moisturizer.
—Jesa Marie Calaor, Allure, 26 Apr. 2024
Shanon Maglente, Good Housekeeping, 24 Mar. 2023
That the 240 seats at this restaurant are rarely bare is testament to its enduring popularity, particularly at lunchtime, when beautifully crafted dim sum are the go-to for foodies and the power-lunching set alike.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 28 Feb. 2023
User-friendly and powerful enough to run programs like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop, this portable device will be your go-to for work and play on the go.
—Karl Klockars, PCMAG, 28 Feb. 2023
Adjective
For a while, Legend City was a go-to theme park in metro Phoenix.
—Katrina Michalak, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2024
It’s grown over the years to become one of the region’s go-to airlines, stealing market share from competitors along the way.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 29 Apr. 2024
Cleveland became a go-to model for American designer Halston.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 29 Apr. 2024
Best Amazon Travel Clothing Deals Amazon is always one of my go-to spots for easy travel outfits, and right now there are a ton of great spring looks that are heavily discounted.
—Amber Love Bond, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2024
Turning on the ceiling fan or cranking the central AC might be the go-to solution to beat the heat.
—Kayla Kitts, Peoplemag, 28 Apr. 2024
Women’s sports bars can be a reliable go-to for many events by having those subscriptions.
—Claire Rush, Fortune, 27 Apr. 2024
This one-bowl recipe is our go-to for summer potlucks, picnics, and barbecues.
—Nik Pugmire, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2024
There was nothing too involved about my routine, just a simple Cetaphil sensitive skin cleanser followed by my go-to SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum and Chantecaille moisturizer.
—Jesa Marie Calaor, Allure, 26 Apr. 2024
Noun
Starting in the summer of 2020, while the founder Joey Wong was pregnant, the brand has established itself as a go-to for trendy jewelry.
—Shanon Maglente, Good Housekeeping, 24 Mar. 2023
That the 240 seats at this restaurant are rarely bare is testament to its enduring popularity, particularly at lunchtime, when beautifully crafted dim sum are the go-to for foodies and the power-lunching set alike.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 28 Feb. 2023
User-friendly and powerful enough to run programs like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop, this portable device will be your go-to for work and play on the go.
—Karl Klockars, PCMAG, 28 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'go-to.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near go-to
Cite this Entry
“Go-to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/go-to. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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