unconnected
Americanadjective
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not connected; not joined together or attached.
an unconnected wire.
-
lacking coherence.
an unconnected account of the accident.
adjective
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not linked; separate or independent
-
disconnected or incoherent
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unconnected
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."
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.
The fire started at a tower where Edison had installed safety equipment on an unconnected transmission line, but the equipment was broken the night it ignited, according to court filings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
Edison had installed safety equipment at both ends of the out-of-service, unconnected transmission line in Eaton Canyon, including at the pylon known as Tower 208 where the fire ignited.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Governments, banks and other institutions have based policies on models unconnected to reality.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026
The university said he was "unconnected" to the establishment.
From BBC ● Feb. 8, 2026
The original Sesame Street was anti-narrative: it was, by design, an unconnected collection of sketches.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
