1
: the act of bringing or coming together : pairing
specifically
: sexual union
2
: a device that serves to connect the ends of adjacent parts or objects
3
: the joining of or the part of the body that joins the hindquarters to the forequarters of a quadruped
4
: a means of electric connection of two electric circuits by having a part common to both
Synonyms
Examples of coupling in a Sentence
the couplings between railroad cars
a coupling of literature and science
Recent Examples on the Web
All that said, and despite a coupling neither composer would ever have authorized, these two big works got along well, falling helplessly into productive and often breathless conversation.
—
Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 1 Dec. 2023
If the leak remains, consider replacing the coupling altogether.
—Rennie Dyball, Peoplemag, 28 June 2023
Plus, four new patents were filed for a unidirectional coupling mobile system, a timepiece incorporating a minute repeater and alarm with reversible selection, a timepiece with a repeater and constant-travel slide piece, and a striking mechanism equipped with a delaying device.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 10 Nov. 2023
But the New York Sour (a whiskey sour topped with an ounce or so of red wine) lifts the coupling from good to perfect.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 12 Nov. 2023
Jumping from coupling to coupling as if that’s the object of the game.
—Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2023
That connection is movingly revealed late in the film, which also records, without comment, the eerie coupling of the whale’s demise and the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Nathan Burstein, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2023
Howe Yuan Zhu, one of the paper’s authors, describes acoustic touch as a user interface based on sensory-motor coupling.
—IEEE Spectrum, 1 Nov. 2023
The back-to-back coupling of the two segments — Bikini and Hiroshima, the shape of things to come followed by the human fallout — made for a grim all-atomic episode.
—Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Sep. 2023
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Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 1 Dec. 2023
If the leak remains, consider replacing the coupling altogether.
—Rennie Dyball, Peoplemag, 28 June 2023
Plus, four new patents were filed for a unidirectional coupling mobile system, a timepiece incorporating a minute repeater and alarm with reversible selection, a timepiece with a repeater and constant-travel slide piece, and a striking mechanism equipped with a delaying device.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 10 Nov. 2023
But the New York Sour (a whiskey sour topped with an ounce or so of red wine) lifts the coupling from good to perfect.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 12 Nov. 2023
Jumping from coupling to coupling as if that’s the object of the game.
—Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2023
That connection is movingly revealed late in the film, which also records, without comment, the eerie coupling of the whale’s demise and the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Nathan Burstein, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2023
Howe Yuan Zhu, one of the paper’s authors, describes acoustic touch as a user interface based on sensory-motor coupling.
—IEEE Spectrum, 1 Nov. 2023
The back-to-back coupling of the two segments — Bikini and Hiroshima, the shape of things to come followed by the human fallout — made for a grim all-atomic episode.
—Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coupling.' 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
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of coupling was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near coupling
Cite this Entry
“Coupling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coupling. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
coupling
noun
cou·pling
ˈkəp-liŋ ( 
usual for sense 2 ),
-ə-liŋ
1
: the act of bringing or coming together
2
: something that connects two parts or things
Medical Definition
coupling
noun
cou·pling
ˈkəp-liŋ, -ə-liŋ
1
: the joint together with its supporting structures between the last lumbar vertebra and the sacrum that joins the hindquarters of a quadruped to the trunk
broadly
: the part of the body or the conformation and proportionate length of the part of the body that joins the hindquarters to the forequarters
2
: the tendency of linked traits to be inherited together in offspring of a double heterozygote when both dominant genes occur on one chromosome and both recessive genes occur on the homologous chromosome compare repulsion
3
: bigeminy
More from Merriam-Webster on coupling
Nglish: Translation of coupling for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of coupling for Arabic Speakers
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