dial-up

American  

[dahy-uhl-uhp, dahyl-] / ˈdaɪ əlˌʌp, ˈdaɪl- /

adjective

Computers.

1. relating to or denoting a type of computer data transmission encoded in audio format and transmitted through a telephone call to an internet service provider.

   A dial-up connection to the internet is too slow to play most online video games.

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Etymology

Origin of dial-up

First recorded in 1960–65; adjective use of verb phrase dial up

Example Sentences

That era was capped by Time Warner’s ill-fated sale in the early 2000s to dial-up internet service provider AOL — a disastrous union that plundered the value of Warner’s prestigious properties.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2025

The company stopped its dial-up internet service last month.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 29, 2025

From what I saw, I’m convinced agentic and AI browsers are the future, but the current iteration feels a bit like when I first tried America Online to use the internet over dial-up modems.

From Barron's • Oct. 22, 2025

The rolling green grassy hills and blue sky of our Windows XP background greeted me, and I’d feel feverish waiting as the AOL dial-up internet made its torturously slow connection.

From Slate • Aug. 12, 2025

A long list of telephone numbers for dial-up bulletin board systems was taped to the desk beside the modem.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline