connected

The word “connected” means joined or linked, physically or electronically, to something else. In plain terms, linked to something (a network, a person, or an influential group) — sometimes literal, sometimes about having useful contacts.

“Connected” is pronounced kuh-NEHK-tihd (/kəˈnɛktɪd/ in IPA).

Here is “connected” used in a sentence: “Make sure your phone is connected to the Wi-Fi before you start.”

Words with a similar meaning to “connected” include affiliated, allied, apposite, associated, comparative and important.

The opposite of “connected” — its antonyms — are disconnected and unconnected.

“Connected” is an adjective.

“Connected” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Connected” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: joined or linked, physically or electronically, to something else.

Connected means joined or linked to something else, so information, power, or influence can pass between the two. Disconnected is its opposite: separated, cut off, or no longer linked. A phone connected to Wi-Fi can reach the internet; a disconnected one cannot. The pair applies to physical links, electronics, and relationships alike.

Beyond physical or electronic links, connected often describes an emotional bond — a sense of closeness, understanding, and shared experience with another person. Feeling connected means you relate to someone easily and feel you belong together. This social meaning is figurative, drawing on the same idea of two things being linked.

Everyday examples abound: a laptop connected to a printer by cable, a phone connected to Wi-Fi, two towns connected by a highway, or carriages connected on a train. Figuratively, colleagues can be connected through a shared project, and people describe being connected to friends and family through love and regular contact.