connect

[kuh-nekt]

verb (used with object)

1. to join, link, or fasten together; unite or bind.

   to connect the two cities by a bridge; Communication satellites connect the local stations into a network.

   Antonyms: sunder, divide

2. to establish communication between; put in communication.

   Operator, will you please connect me with Mr. Jones?

3. to have as an accompanying or associated feature.

   pleasures connected with music.

4. to cause to be associated, as in a personal or business relationship.

   to connect oneself with a group of like-minded persons; Our bank is connected with major foreign banks.

   Antonyms: dissociate

5. to associate mentally or emotionally.

   She connects all telegrams with bad news.

6. to link to an electrical or communications system; hook up.

   to connect a telephone.

verb (used without object)

1. to become connected; join or unite.

   These two parts connect at the sides.

2. (of trains, buses, etc.) to run so as to make connections (often followed bywith ).

   This bus connects with a northbound bus.

3. Informal.,  to have or establish successful communication; make contact.

   I connected with two new clients today.

4. Informal.,  to relate to or be in harmony with another person, one's work, etc..

   We knew each other well but never connected.

5. Slang.,  (of a drug dealer or user) to make direct contact for the illegal sale or purchase of drugs, as narcotics.

6. Sports.,  to hit successfully or solidly.

   The batter connected for a home run. The boxer connected with a right.

adjective

1. of or relating to a connection or connections.

   connect charges for a new cable television channel.

connect

/ kəˈnɛkt /

verb

1. to link or be linked together; join; fasten

2. (tr) to relate or associate

   I connect him with my childhood

3. (tr) to establish telephone communications with or between

4. (intr) to be meaningful or meaningfully related

5. (intr) (of two public vehicles, such as trains or buses) to have the arrival of one timed to occur just before the departure of the other, for the convenient transfer of passengers

6. informal,  (intr) to hit, punch, kick, etc, solidly

7. informal,  (intr) to be successful

8. slang,  (intr) to find a source of drugs, esp illegal drugs

Other Word Forms

• connectible adjective
• connectable adjective
• connectibility noun
• connectability noun
• misconnect verb
• reconnect verb (used with object)
• subconnect verb
• connector noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of connect¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin connectere, equivalent to con- “with, together” + nectere “to tie”; con-, nexus

Word History and Origins

Origin of connect¹

C17: from Latin connectere to bind together, from nectere to bind, tie

Example Sentences

CN Rail operates a nearly 20,000-mile rail network and related transportation services, connecting Canada’s eastern and western coasts with the U.S.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Apart from the clown, there’s a whole mythology that has yet to be connected.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Spencer, 40, enjoyed brief success in the fourth round when a pair of right hands connected, but Mayer reasserted herself, closing the eighth with four powerful hooks and a wide points victory looked inevitable.

Read more on BBC

Liu's team found a way to connect these frameworks, creating a new path to predict superconductivity.

Read more on Science Daily

"Storytelling, narrative, characters? Something that connects to humanity? That's a whole 'nother thing," says the Texan whose notable films include "Boyhood," the "Before" trilogy, "School of Rock" and "Hit Man."

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• associate 
• attach 
• hook up 
• join 
• relate 

When To Use

What are other ways to say connect?

To connect is to link or fasten together, as two cities by a bridge. How is connect different from join and unite? Find out on Thesaurus.com.