Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

plugged-in

American  
[pluhgd-in] / ˈplʌgdˈɪn /

adjective

Informal.
  1. closely connected; in touch with what is going on; informed; involved.

    He's one of the more plugged-in advisers at State House.


plugged-in British  

adjective

  1. slang up-to-date; abreast of the times

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

See Examples For:

As demand for artificial intelligence heats up, technology giants are racing to invest billions of dollars in the region, attracted by a growing plugged-in user base.

From Barron's Feb. 26, 2026

"May looks really rough," says one plugged-in senior Labour figure in the capital.

From BBC Dec. 30, 2025

In Hebrew, Mr. Segal is Israel’s most plugged-in political journalist.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 28, 2025

But they are very plugged-in; they know the world around them.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 1, 2025

I figured if anyone was unaware of my prophetic talents it was Mrs. Bernoffski, given that she wasn’t the most plugged-in personality in Stokum.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training