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Synonyms

unconnected

American  
[uhn-kuh-nek-tid] / ˌʌn kəˈnɛk tɪd /

adjective

  1. not connected; not joined together or attached.

    an unconnected wire.

  2. lacking coherence.

    an unconnected account of the accident.


unconnected British  
/ ˌʌnkəˈnɛktɪd /

adjective

  1. not linked; separate or independent

  2. disconnected or incoherent

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of unconnected

First recorded in 1730–40; un- 1 + connected

Explanation

Unconnected means not joined or attached to anything. If a teacher says the ideas in your research paper seem unconnected, you’ll have to go back and smooth them out. If you’re unconnected to the Internet, you can’t get online. The word unconnected has many usages. If an island is unconnected to the mainland, there's no bridge. If you feel unconnected to your neighbors, you pass each other like ships in the night. If you can’t get a job because you don’t know anyone, you’re unconnected. Events can be unconnected, too — you might say that your grumpiness is unconnected to the bad grade you got on your math test. The Latin root of unconnected is conectere, "join together."

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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.

See Examples For:

Eleven years later, the Kramer-Coolwater circuit was unconnected from the grid, similar to the line in Eaton Canyon.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 20, 2026

“Ever since the dawn of civilization, people have not been content to see events as unconnected and inexplicable,” writes Stephen Hawking.

From The Wall Street Journal May 19, 2026

“Bankruptcy cannot be the legacy of these Games,” Rodriguez wrote, without elaborating on what she meant, though L.A.’s top budget official recently projected a deficit, unconnected to the Olympics, of “several hundred million” dollars.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 9, 2026

The novel’s second portion jumps forward to offer Rustom’s story, one that initially seems unconnected even as it grounds the book thematically.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 2, 2026

With my eyes covered, I feel it again: this mysterious presence, like a stranger you keep spotting in unconnected times and places.

From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper

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