join

1 of 2

verb

joined; joining; joins

transitive verb

1
a
: to put or bring together so as to form a unit
join two blocks of wood with glue
b
: to connect (separated items, such as points) by a line
2
: to put or bring into close association or relationship
two people joined in marriage
3
a
: to come into the company of (someone)
She joined us for lunch.
b
: to associate oneself with
joined the church
join the navy
4
: to enter into or engage in (battle)
perhaps as many as 100 aircraft joined battle simultaneouslyPeter Hellman
5
: adjoin
his studio there joined that of the famous sculptorJ. T. Marshall

intransitive verb

1
: to come into close association or relationship: such as
a
: to become a member of a group or organization
trying to get more people to join
often used with up
She joined up last year.
b
: to take part in a collective activity
usually used with in
join in singing
join in an effort
c
: to form an alliance
2
a
: to come together so as to be connected
nouns join to form compounds
the place where two rivers join
b
: adjoin
the two estates join
joinable adjective

join

2 of 2

noun

1
: something that joins two things : a place or line where joining occurs : joint
the join of lid and box
2
mathematics : union sense 2d
Choose the Right Synonym for join

join, combine, unite, connect, link, associate, relate mean to bring or come together into some manner of union.

join implies a bringing into contact or conjunction of any degree of closeness.

joined forces in an effort to win

combine implies some merging or mingling with corresponding loss of identity of each unit.

combined jazz and rock to create a new music

unite implies somewhat greater loss of separate identity.

the colonies united to form a republic

connect suggests a loose or external attachment with little or no loss of identity.

a mutual defense treaty connected the two nations

link may imply strong connection or inseparability of elements still retaining identity.

a name forever linked with liberty

associate stresses the mere fact of frequent occurrence or existence together in space or in logical relation.

opera is popularly associated with high society

relate suggests the existence of a real or presumed logical connection.

related what he observed to what he already knew

Examples of join in a Sentence

Verb The islands are joined by a bridge. He insisted that I join them for lunch. We're going out for lunch. Would you like to join us? The magician asked for a volunteer from the audience to join him on stage. Everyone here joins me in congratulating you on a job well done! The singer started alone but soon the whole audience joined in. I joined the line and waited patiently to buy a ticket. Hundreds of people have joined the effort to save the building from demolition. He agreed to join the debate. Join the Navy and see the world! Noun a small crack in the chalice at the join of the stem and the bowl
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Count me in for principal horn player Elizabeth Freimuth joining guest conductor Jun Märkl to play Richard Strauss’ Horn Concerto No. 1. David Lyman, The Enquirer, 8 Mar. 2024 National teams in Europe, where six countries, including No. 1 Spain, join the U.S. in the top-seven, get plenty of a top-notch competition. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2024 Prior to joining the Parents team, Phoebe Sklansky was a freelance writer for multiple home and entertainment outlets. Phoebe Sklansky, Parents, 7 Mar. 2024 Plus, an expert PEOPLE editor answers the burning question of the week, and one of our favorite stars joins us for a sitdown. Staff Author, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 And yet even with all the beauty of exploring Ireland's patchwork green countryside and pursuing the end of every rainbow, incredibly, Scahill managed to get more than a dozen performers to join our musical motley crew on tour. Lori Nickel, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2024 With each step, the musical instrument joined the spirits of instruments past, adding to history of the violin. Kelly Wilkinson, The Indianapolis Star, 7 Mar. 2024 Finland joined last spring, while Sweden kept negotiating. Emily Rauhala, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 This year, the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival is scheduled to take place from March 20th to April 14th, with no shortage of local museums, restaurants and hotels all joining in on the festivities. Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French joindre, from Latin jungere — more at yoke

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1884, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of join was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near join

Cite this Entry

“Join.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/join. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

join

verb
ˈjȯin
1
a
: to bring or fasten together in close contact
join hands
b
: to connect (as points) by a line
c
: to become joined
place where two roads join
2
: to come or bring into close association
join a club
join in marriage
3
: to come into the company of
join friends for lunch
4
: adjoin sense 2
the two farms join
5
: to take part with others in an activity
join in singing
joinable
ˈjȯi-nə-bəl
adjective

Legal Definition

join

transitive verb
1
: to unite so as to form one unit
join the claims in one action
2
a
: to align oneself with especially in a legal matter
she joined her husband as plaintiff
b
: to cause or order (a person) to become a party to a lawsuit
if a person has not been joined as required, the court must order that the person be made a partyFederal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 19(a)
compare consolidate, implead, interplead, intervene
c
: to enter into or participate in
join the suit

intransitive verb

1
: to come together so as to form a unit
the other victims of the scheme joined in the suit
2
: to commence involvement or participation
a person who refuses to join as a plaintiff may be made either a defendant, or…an involuntary plaintiffFederal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 19(a)
joinable adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on join

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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