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Synonyms

social network

American  
[soh-shuhl net-wurk] / ˈsoʊ ʃəl ˈnɛtˌwɜrk /

noun

social networks plural
  1. a network of friends, colleagues, and other personal contacts.

    Strong social networks can encourage healthy behaviors.

  2. Digital Technology.

    1. an online community of people with a common interest who use a website or other technologies to communicate with each other and share information, resources, etc..

      a business-oriented social network.

    2. a website or online service that facilitates this communication.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of social network

First recorded in 1840–45

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Bonobos distributed their grooming time more evenly among group members, creating a more egalitarian social network.

From Science Daily May 31, 2026

Third, by demanding that plaintiffs disentangle race from politics, the court asks them to disprove the very structural reality that social network discrimination reveals.

From Slate May 22, 2026

When SpaceX absorbed xAI -- Musk's artificial intelligence company and the owner of social network X -- in February, eyebrows went up on Wall Street.

From Barron's May 20, 2026

Microsoft-owned LinkedIn, a professional social network that people use to apply to jobs, is also laying off workers.

From Los Angeles Times May 14, 2026

He’s probably never been on a social network in his life.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson

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