: 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 online in a Sentence

The city libraries are all online. He likes to engage in online chats.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The blog post that Trump showed Ramaphosa during the White House meeting was published by American Thinker, a conservative online magazine, about conflict and racial tensions in South Africa and Congo. Stephanie Burnett, USA Today, 23 May 2025 The goals of the online academy align with the state's educational priorities, and if enrollment and budget goals haven't been met after five years, the program will be discontinued. Ryan Anderson, Arkansas Online, 22 May 2025 Data centers power a variety of services—like hosting cloud services and providing online infrastructure—that aren’t necessarily linked to the energy-intensive activities of AI. Molly Taft, Wired News, 22 May 2025 According to the plea agreement, Salinas Valencia ran an online business between August 2023 and August 2024 selling firearms, fentanyl and cocaine in the Orlando area. Brian Bell, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for online

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of online was in 1950

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Online.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/online. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

online

adjective
ˈȯn-ˈlīn,
ˈän-
: relating to or connected to a computer or telecommunications system (as the Internet)
an online database
online adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on online

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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