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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:

While some use the site as a social network, I like to think of it as a personal diary.

From Salon Jul. 15, 2026

The relatively small social network has been working toward AR glasses for more than a decade, a passion of co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel.

From Barron's Jun. 18, 2026

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

From Science Daily May 31, 2026

It also is moving into satellite-based cellular service and last year merged with Musk’s xAi artificial intelligence company that also included his X social network.

From Los Angeles Times May 20, 2026

From her involvement with the local chapter of her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and her choice of a church, Carver Presbyterian, Katherine gained a strong social network and a new best friend.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

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