connection

The word connection is good for talking about the way things relate to each other. Your special connection to your cousin might have something to do with your mutual love for science fiction and barbecue.

A connection can be physical, like the leash that provides the connection between you and your German shepherd, or emotional, like the connection you feel with your best friend. Any kind of direct relation is a connection as well, such as the connection a detective makes between a footprint at a crime scene and a suspect's favorite pair of shoes. The root is the Latin connexionem, "a binding or joining together."

Definitions of connection
  1. noun
    a relation between things or events (as in the case of one causing the other or sharing features with it)
    “there was a connection between eating that pickle and having that nightmare”
    synonyms: connectedness, connexion
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    unconnectedness
    the lack of a connection between things
    types:
    show 18 types...
    hide 18 types...
    series
    (electronics) connection of components in such a manner that current flows first through one and then through the other
    alliance, bond
    a connection based on kinship or marriage or common interest
    linkage
    an associative relation
    communication
    a connection allowing access between persons or places
    concatenation
    the linking together of a consecutive series of symbols or events or ideas etc
    bridge
    something resembling a bridge in form or function
    involvement
    a connection of inclusion or containment
    relevance, relevancy
    the relation of something to the matter at hand
    relatedness
    a particular manner of connectedness
    silver cord
    the emotional bond between a mother and her offspring
    link, nexus
    the means of connection between things linked in series
    implication
    a relation implicated by virtue of involvement or close connection (especially an incriminating involvement)
    comprehension, inclusion
    the relation of comprising something
    materiality
    relevance requiring careful consideration
    cogency
    persuasive relevance
    point
    a style in speech or writing that arrests attention and has a penetrating or convincing quality or effect
    applicability, pertinence, pertinency
    relevance by virtue of being applicable to the matter at hand
    bearing
    relevant relation or interconnection
    type of:
    relation
    an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of two entities or parts together
  2. noun
    the process of bringing ideas or events together in memory or imagination
    synonyms: association, connexion
    see moresee less
    types:
    colligation
    the connection of isolated facts by a general hypothesis
    generalisation, generalization, induction, inductive reasoning
    reasoning from detailed facts to general principles
    type of:
    memory, remembering
    the cognitive processes whereby past experience is remembered
  3. noun
    the state of being connected
    “the connection between church and state is inescapable”
    synonyms: connectedness, link
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    disconnectedness, disconnection, disjunction, disjuncture
    state of being disconnected
    types:
    show 8 types...
    hide 8 types...
    contact
    the state or condition of touching or of being in immediate proximity
    concatenation
    the state of being linked together as in a chain; union in a linked series
    interconnectedness, interconnection
    a state of being connected reciprocally
    coherence, coherency, cohesion, cohesiveness
    the state of cohering or sticking together
    osculation
    (mathematics) a contact of two curves (or two surfaces) at which they have a common tangent
    tangency
    the state of being tangent; having contact at a single point or along a line without crossing
    consistency
    logical coherence and accordance with the facts
    continuity
    uninterrupted connection or union
    type of:
    unification, union
    the state of being joined or united or linked
  4. noun
    the act of bringing two things into contact (especially for communication)
    “there was a connection via the internet”
    synonyms: connexion, joining
    see moresee less
    types:
    show 18 types...
    hide 18 types...
    hit
    a connection made via the internet to another website
    interconnection
    (computer science) the act of interconnecting (wires or computers or theories etc.)
    intersection
    the act of intersecting (as joining by causing your path to intersect your target's path)
    approximation, bringing close together
    the act of bringing near or bringing together especially the cut edges of tissue
    concatenation
    the act of linking together as in a series or chain
    convergence, convergency, converging
    the act of converging (coming closer)
    coming upon, encounter
    a casual meeting with a person or thing
    articulation
    the act of joining things in such a way that motion is possible
    adjunction, junction
    an act of joining or adjoining things
    attachment, fastening
    the act of fastening things together
    coming together, meeting, merging
    the act of joining together as one
    bonding, soldering
    fastening firmly together
    doweling
    fastening by dowels
    earthing, grounding
    fastening electrical equipment to earth
    linkage
    the act of linking things together
    ligature, tying
    the act of tying or binding things together
    welding
    fastening two pieces of metal together by softening with heat and applying pressure
    fixation
    the activity of fastening something firmly in position
    type of:
    change of integrity
    the act of changing the unity or wholeness of something
  5. noun
    an instrumentality that connects
    “he soldered the connection”
    synonyms: connecter, connective, connector, connexion
    see moresee less
    types:
    show 26 types...
    hide 26 types...
    attachment, bond
    a connection that fastens things together
    backbone
    the part of a network that connects other networks together
    earth, ground
    a connection between an electrical device and a large conducting body, such as the earth (which is taken to be at zero voltage)
    hitch
    a connection between a vehicle and the load that it pulls
    hookup
    a device providing a connection between a power source and a user
    jumper
    a small connector used to make temporary electrical connections
    conjunction, junction
    something that joins or connects
    slip ring
    connection consisting of a metal ring on a rotating part of a machine; provides a continuous electrical connection through brushes on stationary contacts
    line, phone line, subscriber line, telephone circuit, telephone line
    a telephone connection
    patch, temporary hookup
    a connection intended to be used for a limited time
    coupling, yoke
    a connection (like a clamp or vise) between two things so they move together
    contact, tangency
    (electronics) a junction where things (as two electrical conductors) touch or are in physical contact
    DSL, digital subscriber line
    a generic name for digital lines that are provided by telephone companies to their local subscribers and that carry data at high speeds
    hot line
    a direct telephone line between two officials
    joint
    junction by which parts or objects are joined together
    booster cable, jumper cable, jumper lead, lead
    a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire
    barrier strip, junction barrier
    a junction unit for connecting 2 cables without the need for plugs
    land line, landline
    a telephone line that travels over terrestrial circuits
    ligament
    any connection or unifying bond
    party line
    a telephone line serving two or more subscribers
    private line
    a telephone line serving a single subscriber
    splice, splicing
    a junction where two things (as paper or film or magnetic tape) have been joined together
    thermojunction
    a junction between two dissimilar metals across which a voltage appears
    toll line
    a telephone line for long-distance calls
    trunk line
    a telephone line connecting two exchanges directly
    WATS, WATS line
    a telephone line;long distance service at fixed rates for fixed zones; an acronym for wide area telephone service
    type of:
    instrumentality, instrumentation
    an artifact (or system of artifacts) that is instrumental in accomplishing some end
  6. noun
    a connecting shape
    synonyms: connexion, link
    see moresee less
    types:
    node
    a connecting point at which several lines come together
    articulation, join, joint, junction, juncture
    the shape or manner in which things come together and a connection is made
    esophagogastric junction, oesophagogastric junction
    the junction between the esophagus and the stomach epithelium
    type of:
    form, shape
    the spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance
  7. noun
    shifting from one form of transportation to another
    “the plane was late and he missed his connection in Atlanta”
    synonyms: connexion
    see moresee less
    type of:
    conveyance, transfer, transferral, transport, transportation
    the act of moving something from one location to another
  8. noun
    (usually plural) a person who is influential and to whom you are connected in some way (as by family or friendship)
    “he has powerful connections”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    acquaintance, friend
    a person with whom you are acquainted
  9. noun
    a supplier (especially of narcotics)
    see moresee less
    type of:
    provider, supplier
    someone whose business is to supply a particular service or commodity
Word Family
EDITOR’S CHOICE

Test prep from the experts

Boost your test score with programs developed by Vocabulary.com’s experts.

  • Proven methods: Learn faster, remember longer with our scientific approach.
  • Personalized plan: We customize your experience to maximize your learning.
  • Strategic studying: Focus on the words that are most crucial for success.

SAT/PSAT

$29.95
  • Number of words: 500+
  • Duration: 8 weeks or less
  • Time: 1 hour / week
Learn more

TOEFL

$29.95
  • Number of words: 500+
  • Duration: 10 weeks or less
  • Time: 1 hour / week
Learn more

ACT

$29.95
  • Number of words: 700+
  • Duration: 10 weeks
  • Time: 1 hour / week
Learn more