# Goto

/ˈɡoʊˌtu/ (US) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/goto
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a command in computer code that tells the program to jump immediately to a different part of the instructions.

For teachers: a control structure in programming languages that performs an unconditional transfer of control to a specified label or line number.

## Examples

- The programmer used a goto to skip the next section of code.
- Modern software engineering generally discourages the use of goto because it can make the logic of a program difficult to follow.
- While structured programming has largely replaced the goto statement, it remains a fundamental low-level operation in assembly language and certain legacy systems where direct memory control is required.

## Usage notes

- Often written as 'goto' or 'go to'; frequently used as an attributive noun in the phrase 'goto statement'.

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