: connected to, served by, or available through a system and especially a computer or telecommunications system (such as the Internet)
an online database
also
: done while connected to such a system
online shopping
online games
online searching
online
adverb
Examples of on line in a Sentence
Adjective
The city libraries are all online.
He likes to engage in online chats.
Recent Examples on the Web
Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Feb. 2026
Fresh from his online mauling at the hands of Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary, the world’s richest man can take some consolation.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 1 Feb. 2026
Her record shows no history of disciplinary actions, according her online NYPD profile.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
Frictionlessness, generally speaking, is the design ethos that whisks a user seamlessly from Instagram ad to online shopping cart; from Word document to AI chatbot; from drawing pad to image generator.
—Theo Belci, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for on line
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Adjective
The Post launched with a daily print edition, along with a web app and online articles.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Feb. 2026
Fresh from his online mauling at the hands of Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary, the world’s richest man can take some consolation.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 1 Feb. 2026
Her record shows no history of disciplinary actions, according her online NYPD profile.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
Frictionlessness, generally speaking, is the design ethos that whisks a user seamlessly from Instagram ad to online shopping cart; from Word document to AI chatbot; from drawing pad to image generator.
—Theo Belci, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for on line
Cite this Entry
“On line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20line. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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