online
Americanadjective
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operating under the direct control of, or connected to, a main computer.
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connected by computer to one or more other computers or networks, as through a commercial electronic information service or the internet.
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of or denoting a business that transmits electronic information over telecommunications lines.
an online bookstore.
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available or operating on a computer or computer network.
an online dictionary.
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by means of or using a computer.
online shopping.
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Radio. (of a network) supplying affiliated stations with all or a substantial part of their programming.
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Television. of or relating to the final editing of a videotaped program.
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done or accomplished while in operation or active service.
online maintenance.
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located on major routes or rail lines.
online industries.
adverb
adjective
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of, relating to, or concerned with a peripheral device that is directly connected to and controlled by the central processing unit of a computer
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of or relating to the internet
online shopping
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occurring as part of, or involving, a continuous sequence of operations, such as a production line
adverb
Etymology
Origin of online
First recorded in 1915–20 (in sense “located on rail lines”); 1945–50 for other senses
Explanation
When you're online, you are using a computer or other device that's connected to the Internet. If someone asks if you're online, they're wondering whether you have Internet access. You might say, "I need to go online and check my email," or "I don't know if she's still meeting me — she hasn't been online all day." Or you could describe something that's available or readable on the Internet, like a news story, as being online. While the adjective officially describes a connection to any computer network, it's almost always used these days to mean "on the Internet." The word online has been around since 1950.
Vocabulary lists containing online
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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Journalism
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Media Literacy - Introductory
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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.
Shields had researched and found information online suggesting the nearby southern entrance was less crowded.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
As Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State within Sir Keir Starmer's government, his responsibilities spanned AI opportunities, the AI Security Institute, semiconductors and online safety.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Exceptions are provided for sites such as online encyclopaedias and educational platforms.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
On July 3, Tesla began allowing rideshare trips in Miami, with videos posted online showing that at least some vehicles are unsupervised.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
Just before bed, though, I was online again and I saw that there were long times between when burned people did the treatments — to see how well the skin grafts “took.”
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
