What does "join" mean?
An act of joining or the state of being joined; a junction or joining.
Join
/ˈd͡ʒɔɪn/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Top 500 ·Elementary level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An act of joining or the state of being joined; a junction or joining.
- Grammar: join is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: conjoin, connect, link, unite.
- Useful contrasts: cloven, disconnected, disconnected regions.
- Usage evidence: Every time I join a new game of Warcraft, I am pitted against a new team of adversaries.
How to use "join"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "join" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "join" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "join" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "join" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "join" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "conjoin" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "join", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An act of joining or the state of being joined; a junction or joining.
"We found 217 putative interchromosomal joins. Only one of these joins (in the paternal assembly of HG02080) was located in a euchromatic, non-acrocentric region and was manually confirmed to be a misassembly."
- 2 a set containing all and only the members of two or more given sets wordnet
- 3 An intersection of piping or wiring; an interconnect.
- 4 the shape or manner in which things come together and a connection is made wordnet
- 5 An intersection of data in two or more database tables.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 The act of joining something, such as a network.
"The offline domain join is a three-step process described subsequently: […]"
- 7 The lowest upper bound, an operation between pairs of elements in a lattice, denoted by the symbol ∨.
Verb
- 1 To connect or combine into one; to put together. transitive
"The plumber joined the two ends of the broken pipe."
- 2 make contact or come together wordnet
- 3 To come together; to meet. intransitive
"Parallel lines never join."
- 4 cause to become joined or linked wordnet
- 5 To enter into association or alliance, to unite in a common purpose. intransitive
"Forſake thy king and do but ioyne with me And we will triumph ouer al the world."
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 become part of; become a member of a group or organization wordnet
- 7 To come into the company of. transitive
"I will join you watching the football game as soon as I have finished my work."
- 8 come into the company of wordnet
- 9 To become a member of. transitive
"Many children join a sports club."
- 10 be or become joined or united or linked wordnet
- 11 To produce an intersection of data in two or more database tables. transitive
"By joining the Customer table on the Product table, we can show each customer's name alongside the products they have ordered."
- 12 To unite in marriage.
"Into the whiche holy eſtate theſe two perſones pꝛeſent: come nowe to be ioyned."
- 13 To enjoin upon; to command. obsolete, rare
"And they ioyne them penaunce / as they call it / to faſt / to goo pylgremages ⁊ geve ſo moch to make ſatiſfaccion with all."
- 14 To accept, or engage in, as a contest.
"to join encounter, battle, or issue"
Antonyms
Example
"Every time I join a new game of Warcraft, I am pitted against a new team of adversaries."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "join"?
Common synonyms include: conjoin, connect, link, unite, attach, combine.
How do you use "join" in a sentence?
Every time I join a new game of Warcraft, I am pitted against a new team of adversaries.
How do you pronounce "join"?
Pronounced /ˈd͡ʒɔɪn/.
Etymology
From Middle English joinen, joynen, joignen, from Old French joindre, juindre, jungre, from Latin iungō (“join, yoke”, verb), from Proto-Indo-European *yewg- (“to join, unite”). Cognate with Old English iucian, iugian, ġeocian, ġyċċan (“to join; yoke”). More at yoke.