Be/go on the wagon Definition 1 of 1Pro Tip 1/3Sobriety Choice The phrase emphasizes a personal decision to stop drinking for health or personal reasons. She chose to be on the wagon before her health got worse. Pro Tip 2/3Temporariness Being 'on the wagon' can be a temporary commitment, not always permanent. After a month of sobriety, he fell off the wagon at the party. Pro Tip 3/3Idiomatic Nuance It's important to note the phrase is informal and often used in casual conversation. My uncle has been on the wagon for three years now.