plugged-in
Americanadjective
adjective
Usage
What does plugged-in mean? If you're plugged-in, you're in the know, in touch with what is going on, and very well-informed. You can also be so plugged in to a task, usually a technological one, to the point where you shut everything else out.
Etymology
Origin of plugged-in
1955–60, for literal sense
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.
They simply plugged in the numbers they could easily find, fudged the rest and threw it on a poster board.
From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026
“We plugged in, started playing,” Mr. Ross once told me.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
The house was unlocked, the ironing board was out, the hoover plugged in, washing was hanging on the line outside, the medication she needed for Crohn's disease had been left behind.
From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026
Free in-flight connectivity hasn’t always been a big deal, but it’s become increasingly important to airlines as they seek ways to stand out and cater to consumers who want to stay plugged in.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 11, 2026
Outside lights were fixed to their poles, or to the roofs of houses; inside lights were set into the ceiling or had cords that had to be plugged in.
From "The City of Ember" by Jeanne DuPrau
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.
