The term onsite as one word is correct as an adjective or adverb. E.g., “He performs IT maintenance onsite.” Also, the hyphenated version can be an adverb or adjective. E.g., “The on-site facilities are lacking.” Furthermore, on site as two words is the correct noun form.
The Cambridge Dictionary lists onsite as one word for the adjective and adverb forms. However, there are three correct spellings of the term onsite.
Many people also spell the adjective and adverb as on-site with a hyphen, which is also correct and follows the standard grammar rule for compound adjectives.
Therefore, when using the term onsite as an adjective or adverb, you can choose which of the two versions you use.
Here are two examples that show the difference between the adjective and adverb forms.
- He works onsite at the company headquarters. (adverb)
- He is an onsite engineer for Shell. (adjective)
Although there are two spelling versions for the adverb and adjective, the hyphenated term on-site is more popular globally than onsite.
Furthermore, the difference in frequency between the hyphenated version and the one-word version is much broader in the UK than it is in the US.
In addition, for AP Style, there is no specific guidance regarding the term onsite. Therefore, for the adverb and adjective, you can use the dictionary version onsite or the hyphenated version on-site as long as you are consistent.
Also, the two-word version of the term, on site, is the noun version that combines the preposition on with site to indicate that something is happening on a site.
- All employees will be on site by 8 am.
Please keep reading the rest of the page to discover more about each version of the term onsite and how you can use them in your writing.
Onsite
The term onsite is the form the Cambridge Dictionary lists as the adverb and adjective. Therefore, you can use this version to describe a noun or how someone performs a verb.
The following sentences are examples of the adjective form. As you can see, a noun follows directly after the adjective.
- I have an onsite meeting this Thursday.
- The company provided an onsite gym for its employees.
- Her office requested an onsite training session for the new software.
- The contractor suggested an onsite inspection to assess the damages.
- They have an onsite cafe that serves delicious coffee.
However, in this example, the word meeting is a verb, so onsite becomes an adverb that describes the nature of the verb.
- We are meeting onsite this Thursday.
You will notice that in this form, the order of the two words meeting and onsite switch, and the verb comes first, followed by the adverb.
Here are some more examples of the adverb form:
- The technician will work onsite tomorrow to fix the server issues.
- Our team prefers to collaborate onsite to ensure clear communication.
- The new recruits will train onsite for the first three months.
- The actors will rehearse onsite to get familiar with the stage and props.
On-Site
The term on-site with a hyphen is a compound word you can use as either an adjective or adverb.
Furthermore, despite the fact that onsite is the version listed in the dictionary, on-site is more common in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Here are some examples of how on-site appears as a compound adjective.
- We have an on-site training course all next week.
- The building provides an on-site parking facility for its residents.
- For emergencies, the factory has an on-site medical team available.
- The new residential complex boasts an on-site fitness center.
- The university’s on-site accommodation is popular among international students.
Alternatively, here are examples of on-site as a compound adverb.
- We will be training on-site all next week.
- The contractor agreed to finish the work on-site without any delays.
- Due to equipment constraints, the team will assemble the structure on-site.
- The artists prefer to paint on-site to capture the natural lighting.
- After initial remote discussions, the consultants agreed to evaluate the processes on-site.
On Site
The term on site as two words is a noun that indicates someone or something is present or will occur at a particular site.
In this form, you should not write the term as one word or add a hyphen.
As you can see from these examples, the noun form of on site usually, but not always, appears with the verb to be.
- He said he would be on site all day.
- Employees must be on site for three days per week minimum.
- The security team remains on site 24/7 to ensure safety.
- Due to the ongoing construction, no visitors are allowed on site without proper clearance.
- During the event, medical professionals will be on site to assist with any emergencies.
We trust that you know know how to use on site, onsite, and on-site in your sentences. Remember that you can always come back and review our examples if you are in doubt about which word to use!