: 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 online in a Sentence

The city libraries are all online. He likes to engage in online chats.
Recent Examples on the Web Sales at grocery stores, clothing retailers and online were also down in February. Krystal Hur, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 The company, General Dynamics Information Technology, was one of the contractors involved in the debacle of HealthCare.gov — an Obama-era online insurance marketplace that had a notoriously rough rollout in 2013. Zach Montague, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 One of his other prominent campaign proxies is an enormously popular celebrity and lifestyle blogger named Jessica Reed Kraus, better known by her online handle Houseinhabit, who is stumping somewhat equally for Kennedy and Trump. Anna Merlan, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2024 What is the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool? Released in 1989 by the National Cancer Institute, the online questionnaire takes less than five minutes to complete and pretty accurately predicts a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. TIME, 14 Mar. 2024 It can also be converted to cash when deposited into accounts at prices set in online trading. CBS News, 14 Mar. 2024 When the founder of the Messenger announced to his hundreds of employees that they were all laid off without severance, less than a year after the online publication booted up, the same weather pattern got the blame. Sam Dean, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 The online court docket says McCaughan’s trial is set for March 11. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2024 Thousands have added their signatures to different online petitions calling for his release. Liam Quinn, Peoplemag, 3 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'online.' 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

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of online was in 1950

Dictionary Entries Near online

Cite this Entry

“Online.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/online. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on online

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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