Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

online

adjective on·line \ ˈȯn-ˈlīn , ˈän-ˈlīn \
|Updated on: 16 Jul 2018

Definition of online

: 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

See online defined for English-language learners

See online defined for kids

Examples of online in a Sentence

  1. The city libraries are all online.

  2. He likes to engage in online chats.

Recent Examples of online from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'online.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of online

1950

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year
NEW! Time Traveler

Other Computer-Related Terms

adware, flash, kludge, phishing, recursive, router

ONLINE Defined for English Language Learners

online

adjective

Definition of online for English Language Learners

  • : connected to a computer, a computer network, or the Internet

  • : done over the Internet

ONLINE Defined for Kids

online

adjective or adverb on·line \ ˈȯn-ˌlīn , ˈän- \

Definition of online for Students

: connected to, directly controlled by, or available through a computer system
  • an online database
  • working online

Learn More about online

  1. See words that rhyme with online Spanish Central: Translation of online Nglish: Translation of online for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of online for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up online? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

pro rata

play

in proportion

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. exculpatory 'tending or serving to exculpate'

  2. ideologue 'an often blindly partisan advocate or adherent of a particular ideology'

  3. socialism 'a way of organizing a society in which major industries are owned and controlled by the government'

  4. uphold 'to let stand'

  5. due process 'a course of formal proceedings (as judicial proceedings)'

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

online

Test Your Vocabulary

Test Your Emoji Exceptionalism

  • test-your-emoji-exceptionalism-written-with-a-lot-of-emoji
  • What is this emoji intended to represent: 🤳
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games