on line

1 of 2

phrase

Synonyms of on linenext
: in or into operation
bringing the new factory on line

online

2 of 2

adjective

: 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
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Adjective
Time magazine’s Nik Popli looked closely at how Talarico and Crockett were working to convert their online followings into votes and good news cycles. David Weigel, semafor.com, 2 Mar. 2026 White smoke visible in the sky led to online speculation that the aircraft may have been struck by friendly fire. Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 2 Mar. 2026 Many of these models are trained on stupendously large datasets comprising material culled from online sources, from which broader statistical patterns can be extracted and discerned. Patrick R. Crowley, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026 For the last few years, MLB clearly has been using online fandom tactics to build buzz and juice engagement on social. Mia Sato, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for on line

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of on line was in 1950

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“On line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20line. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.

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

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