Internet

noun

In·​ter·​net ˈin-tər-ˌnet How to pronounce Internet (audio)
variants or internet
: an electronic communications network that connects computer networks and organizational computer facilities around the world
used with the except when being used attributively
doing research on the Internet
an Internet search

Note: In U.S. publications, the capitalized form Internet continues to be more common than internet, although the lowercase form is rapidly gaining more widespread use. In British publications, internet is now the more common form.

compare world wide web

Examples of Internet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In 2010, a story in Hillsboro, Ohio's Times-Gazette identified Myers as the editor of a now-defunct Internet news site called the Washington Blaze. Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 12 Mar. 2024 And Internet sleuths had once again set to work going through cast and crew Instagrams, in search of evidence that could shame either party. Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2024 Facial recognition software, Internet monitoring, and ubiquitous video cameras give the impression that the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has finally accomplished the dictator’s dream of building a surveillance state like the one imagined in George Orwell’s 1984. Minxin Pei, Foreign Affairs, 6 Feb. 2024 Dion also bonded with Taylor Swift backstage after her win, dispelling and Internet uproar that there was any drama between the two. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 5 Feb. 2024 In the clip, the duo knock on the door of none other than fellow actor Jason Momoa, who informs them that his Super Bowl party is canceled due to cable Internet issues. Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 5 Feb. 2024 After more than a year of trying and failing to get its more than 5,000 workers to return to the office on a hybrid schedule, Internet Brands took a different approach. Danielle Abril, Washington Post, 24 Jan. 2024 The startup used Internet Archive data to establish when each website started blocking AI crawlers; many did so soon after OpenAI announced its crawler would respect robots.txt flags in August 2023. Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 24 Jan. 2024 The movies seemed to be bigger on Twitter than in the real world, something that hit its apex as an Internet army, real or imagined, helped the creation of the SnyderCut, an event that is not likely to ever be repeated. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Internet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1986, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Internet was in 1986

Dictionary Entries Near Internet

Cite this Entry

“Internet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Internet. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Internet

noun
In·​ter·​net ˈint-ər-ˌnet How to pronounce Internet (audio)
: a communications system that connects computers and computer networks all over the world

More from Merriam-Webster on Internet

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