landline
noun
land·line
ˈland-ˌlīn 
variants
or less commonly land line
1
: a line of transportation or communication on land
especially
: a telephone line that transmits signals from one station to another directly along a wire without the use of radio waves
It reminds me of the tipping point several years ago when people realized they no longer needed a telephone landline and would do just fine with their cell phones. —
Rana Foroohar
—often used before another noun Rana Foroohar a landline phone
a landline network
2
: a telephone that connects by wire : a landline telephone
Of course, if you're really worried, you could ditch your cell phone for a quaint landline.—Kiera Butler
Kiera ButlerExamples of landline in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Monitors showed aerial footage from surveillance drones, and various radios and landline telephones blinked in a corner.
—Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
The largest group of people holding onto their landlines are 65 and older.
—Heather Kelly, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2024
Consumers will have to decide whether to give up their landlines or potentially face higher costs because of complex, expensive workarounds from the phone companies.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 6 Feb. 2024
This would mean no landline service for phones, security systems or the internet, and no more free access to 911 or hard-of-hearing services.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2024
If cell service isn’t working, looking for a nearby landline can help.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 25 Mar. 2024
Between 2000 and 2021, landline demand plummeted 89%, according to AT&T.
—Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, The Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2024
Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (202) and cellphones (626) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (278).
—Dana Blanton, Fox News, 14 Feb. 2024
Consumers who love their landlines will eventually have to decide whether to hang up on their service or potentially face higher costs.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 6 Feb. 2024
Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
The largest group of people holding onto their landlines are 65 and older.
—Heather Kelly, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2024
Consumers will have to decide whether to give up their landlines or potentially face higher costs because of complex, expensive workarounds from the phone companies.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 6 Feb. 2024
This would mean no landline service for phones, security systems or the internet, and no more free access to 911 or hard-of-hearing services.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2024
If cell service isn’t working, looking for a nearby landline can help.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 25 Mar. 2024
Between 2000 and 2021, landline demand plummeted 89%, according to AT&T.
—Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, The Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2024
Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (202) and cellphones (626) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (278).
—Dana Blanton, Fox News, 14 Feb. 2024
Consumers who love their landlines will eventually have to decide whether to hang up on their service or potentially face higher costs.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 6 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'landline.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Dictionary Entries Near landline
Cite this Entry
“Landline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/landline. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
landline
noun
land·line
-ˌ(d)līn
: a line of communication (as by telephone) consisting of a cable laid on land
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