connect the dots
1 of 2phrase
: to link together logically related elements in order to draw a conclusion
trying to connect the dots in the investigation
con·nect-the-dots
kə-ˈnekt-ṯẖə-ˈdäts 
: done or proceeding in a series of simple and usually predictable steps
a movie with a connect-the-dots plot
Examples of connect the dots in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Chris Lee, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2025
But Sir Ridley Scott does not want to deliver a connect-the-dots lecture.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2024
Silliphant’s screenplay works hard to maintain tensions through connect-the-dots plot construction.
—John H. Dorr, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 July 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Ortenberg was an early champion of Moore, releasing in 2004 the Flint, Michigan firebrand’s Fahrenheit 9/11 — a connect-the-dots investigation of the George W. Bush presidency, the Iraq war, and corrupt wartime profiteering — which still stands as the highest-grossing documentary of all time.
—Chris Lee, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2025
But Sir Ridley Scott does not want to deliver a connect-the-dots lecture.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2024
Silliphant’s screenplay works hard to maintain tensions through connect-the-dots plot construction.
—John H. Dorr, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Connect the dots.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/connect%20the%20dots. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
