social network

noun

1
: a network of individuals (such as friends, acquaintances, and coworkers) connected by interpersonal relationships
2
: an online service or site through which people create and maintain interpersonal relationships
And millions of people have become comfortable using smart-phones to share information about themselves, via mobile apps that access social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.The Economist

Examples of social network in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Federal agencies have stopped sharing information with some social networks about foreign disinformation campaigns, shutting down a line of communications opened after revelations of Russian interference in the 2016 elections. Ann Marimow, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2024 The actor, author, podcast host and entrepreneur is preparing for the launch later this year of Beginning is Now, an online ecommerce health, beauty and wellness platform and social network designed to help Gen-Xers navigate their 50- and 60-something years. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 16 Mar. 2024 In 2020, the Washington Post reached the same conclusion in an analysis of privacy policies at mainstream social networks. Max Zahn, ABC News, 15 Mar. 2024 And the complaints raised about TikTok in terms of its addictiveness, reinforcement of unhealthy behavior and risk of predation have been leveled at other social networks as well. Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Hilton is inspiring others to speak out, but over the past two decades, the growth of social networks has enabled survivors to find fellow classmates and others who were forced to go to similar institutions. TIME, 5 Mar. 2024 Goldstein points out that even a false-positive rate in the single digits will, at the scale of a modern social network, make tens of thousands of false accusations each day, eroding faith in the detector itself. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2024 Young, beautiful, and successful—she and her fiancé Michael are considered the ‘couple goals’ of their social network and seem to have it all. Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 7 Feb. 2024 This is a social network that sends you regular notifications regarding who looked at your profile. Justin Pot, WIRED, 3 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'social network.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of social network was in 1845

Dictionary Entries Near social network

Cite this Entry

“Social network.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20network. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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