<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2019-05-02</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001097864</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ON SEMICONDUCTOR CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ON</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001184583</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CAVE GEORGE H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C O ON SEMICONDUCTOR ATTN M ROGERS</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>5005 E MCDOWELL RD MDA700</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PHOENIX</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AZ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>85008</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP, Gen Cnsl, CC&amp;EO, &amp; Sec</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-05-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>15000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>22.8446</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>258214</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This disposition transaction was executed in multiple trades at prices ranging from $22.84 to $22.85. The price reported above reflects the weighted average sale price. The Reporting Person hereby undertakes to provide, upon request, to the SEC staff, the Issuer, or a security holder of the Issuer, full information regarding the number of shares and prices at which the transaction was effected.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes an aggregate of 379 shares acquired by the Reporting Person under the Issuer's Employee Stock Purchase Plan for the fiscal quarter ended March 29, 2019.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Mark N. Rogers, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-05-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
