# drone on

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/drone-on
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to talk for a long time in a boring, flat voice that makes people lose interest.

For teachers: to speak tediously in a monotonous tone for an extended period; often implies the speaker is oblivious to the audience's boredom.

## Examples

- The teacher drones on about history for hours.
- I tried to stay awake, but the manager continued to drone on about the new filing system during the entire meeting.
- While the professor droned on regarding the nuances of medieval tax law, most of the students found themselves staring blankly out of the window.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He was droning on the project." but "He was droning on about the project." — the preposition 'about' is required to connect the action to the topic being discussed.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by 'about' plus the subject of the speech.
- Teaching tip: the verb is onomatopoeic, mimicking the low, continuous hum of a bee or a machine; connecting it to the sound of a literal 'drone' aircraft can help students remember the 'boring hum' aspect.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.