Standard Lemma guide

online

adj · adv · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • ŏn'līn"
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɒnlaɪn/
  • British, Southern, Standard: /ˈɔnlɑjn/
  • /ˈɑnlaɪn/ Northern US or with the cot–caught merger
  • California: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /ˈɔnlaɪn/ Midland US, Southern US, without the cot–caught merger
  • Canada: [ˈɒnlaɪn]
  • Australian: /ˈɔnlɑen/
  • New-Zealand: /ˈɒnlaɪn/
  • New-Zealand: [ˈɔ̟nlɑe̯n]
  • Scotland: /ˈɔnlʌɪn/
  • ŏnlīn'
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɒnˈlaɪn/
  • British, Southern, Standard: /ɔnˈlɑjn/
  • /ɑnˈlaɪn/ Northern US or with the cot–caught merger
  • /ɔnˈlaɪn/ Midland US, Southern US, without the cot–caught merger
  • Canada: [ɒnˈlaɪn]
  • Australian: /ɔnˈlɑen/
  • New-Zealand: /ɒnˈlaɪn/
  • New-Zealand: [ɔ̟nˈlɑe̯n]
  • Scotland: /ɔnˈlʌɪn/
  • rhymes with -aɪn
  • CMU ARPABET: AO1 N L AY2 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of a system: connected (generally electrically) to a larger network.

Of a generator or power plant: connected to the grid.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of a system: connected (generally electrically) to a larger network.

Of a computer: actively connected to the Internet or to some other communications service.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Is this modem online?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Available over, or delivered from, the Internet.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I prefer to read online newspapers.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Connected to the Internet.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I'll be online tonight, so I'll be able to reply to your email.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Available on a computer system, even if not networked.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Press the F1 key to access the online help.
  • The program comes with an online manual, supplied on compact disc.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Of a system: active, particularly building facilities (such as power) or a factory or power plant.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The power is online.
  • Once this factory comes online, it will double car production in our country!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adj

Meaning 7

Immersed in Internet culture. (Usually modified by an intensifier such as extremely or terminally)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

Examples

  • terminally online

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

adv

Meaning 8

While online; while in a running or active state, or connected to the Internet.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • He works online.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To bring (a system, etc.) online; to promote to an active or running state.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

adjective

Meaning 10

connected to a computer network or accessible by computer

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an on-line database

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: on-line

Antonyms: none provided

11

adjective

Meaning 11

on a regular route of a railroad or bus or airline system

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • on-line industries

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: on-line

Antonyms: none provided

12

adjective satellite

Meaning 12

being in progress now

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • on-line editorial projects

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: on-line(a)

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

1950, from on + line.

Across languages

Translations

164 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Basque: sarean — connected to a network
  • Bulgarian: свъ́рзан (svǎ́rzan) — connected to a network
  • Chinese Mandarin: 網上 /网上 (wǎngshàng) — connected to a network
  • Chinese Mandarin: 線上 /线上 (xiànshàng) — connected to a network
  • Esperanto: interreta — connected to a network
  • Esperanto: enreta — connected to a network
  • Finnish: verkossa — connected to a network
  • Finnish: online — connected to a network
  • Finnish: seinässä — connected to a network
  • Finnish: kytkettynä — connected to a network
  • French: en ligne — connected to a network
  • Georgian: ონლაინ (onlain) — connected to a network
  • Georgian: ხაზზე (xazze) — connected to a network
  • German: online — connected to a network
  • German: angeschlossen — connected to a network
  • Gujarati: જાળે (jāḷe) — connected to a network
  • Ido: enreta — connected to a network
  • Ido: enlinea — connected to a network
  • Indonesian: daring — connected to a network
  • Indonesian: dalam jaringan — connected to a network
  • Italian: in linea — connected to a network
  • Italian: online — connected to a network
  • Japanese: オンライン (onrain) — connected to a network
  • Korean: 온라인 (onnain) — connected to a network
  • Malay: dalam talian — connected to a network
  • Māori: tuihono — connected to a network
  • Marathi: ऑनलाइन (ŏnlāin) — connected to a network
  • Norman: brantchi — connected to a network
  • Persian: آنلاین (ânlâyn) — connected to a network
  • Persian: برخط (barxat) — connected to a network
  • Persian: درون خط (darun-e xat) — connected to a network
  • Persian: روی خط (ruy-e xat) — connected to a network
  • Polish: online — connected to a network
  • Portuguese: online — connected to a network
  • Portuguese: em linha — connected to a network
  • Romanian: în linie — connected to a network
  • Romanian: online — connected to a network
  • Romanian: rețelizat — connected to a network
  • Russian: онла́йн (onlájn) — connected to a network
  • Russian: онла́йновый (onlájnovyj) — connected to a network
  • Slovene: v omrežju — connected to a network
  • Tok Pisin: onlain — connected to a network
  • Turkish: çevrim içi — connected to a network
  • Ukrainian: онла́йн (onlájn) — connected to a network
  • Ukrainian: онла́йновий (onlájnovyj) — connected to a network
  • Urdu: روئے ربط (rū-ey-rabt) — connected to a network
  • Urdu: آن لائن (ān-lā'in) — connected to a network
  • Urdu: انٹرنیٹ پر (inṭarneṭ par) — connected to a network
  • Urdu: بر خط (bar-xat) — connected to a network
  • Walloon: raloyî — connected to a network
  • Welsh: ar lein — connected to a network
  • Armenian: առցանց (aṙcʻancʻ) — available over the Internet
  • Basque: sarean — available over the Internet
  • Burmese: အွန်လိုင်း (wanluing:) — available over the Internet
  • Cornish: warlinen — available over the Internet
  • Finnish: verkko- — available over the Internet
  • French: en ligne — available over the Internet
  • German: online — available over the Internet
  • Greek: σε απευθείας σύνδεση (se apeftheías sýndesi) — available over the Internet
  • Greek: διαδικτυακός (diadiktyakós) — available over the Internet
  • Gujarati: જાળે (jāḷe) — available over the Internet
  • Ido: enreta — available over the Internet
  • Ido: enlinea — available over the Internet
  • Indonesian: daring — available over the Internet
  • Irish: ar líne — available over the Internet
  • Italian: online — available over the Internet
  • Khmer: អនឡាញ (ʼɑɑnlaañ) — available over the Internet
  • Malay: dalam talian — available over the Internet
  • Manx: er-linney — available over the Internet
  • Māori: ā-ipurangi — available over the Internet
  • Māori: tuihono — available over the Internet
  • Marathi: ऑनलाइन (ŏnlāin) — available over the Internet
  • Marathi: इंटरनेटवर (iṇṭraneṭvar) — available over the Internet
  • Polish: online — available over the Internet
  • Portuguese: online — available over the Internet
  • Scottish Gaelic: air loidhne — available over the Internet
  • Spanish: a distancia — available over the Internet
  • Spanish: internáutico — available over the Internet
  • Spanish: internauta — available over the Internet
  • Spanish: por internet — available over the Internet
  • Tagalog: onlayn — available over the Internet
  • Turkish: çevrim içi — available over the Internet
  • Vietnamese: trực tuyến — available over the Internet
  • Vietnamese: trên mạng — available over the Internet
  • Walloon: so les fis — available over the Internet
  • Welsh: ar lein — available over the Internet
  • Yiddish: אָנלײַן (onlayn) — available over the Internet
  • Armenian: առցանց (aṙcʻancʻ) — connected to the Internet
  • Basque: sarean — connected to the Internet
  • Bulgarian: онлайн (onlajn) — connected to the Internet
  • Cornish: warlinen — connected to the Internet
  • Finnish: verkossa — connected to the Internet
  • Finnish: netissä — connected to the Internet
  • French: en ligne — connected to the Internet
  • Georgian: ონლაინ (onlain) — connected to the Internet
  • Georgian: ხაზზე (xazze) — connected to the Internet
  • Georgian: დაკავშირებული (daḳavširebuli) — connected to the Internet
  • German: online — connected to the Internet
  • Greek: σε απευθείας σύνδεση (se apeftheías sýndesi) — connected to the Internet
  • Ido: enreta — connected to the Internet
  • Ido: enlinea — connected to the Internet
  • Indonesian: daring — connected to the Internet
  • Indonesian: tersambung — connected to the Internet
  • Irish: ar líne — connected to the Internet
  • Italian: in rete — connected to the Internet
  • Italian: in linea — connected to the Internet
  • Italian: online — connected to the Internet
  • Malay: dalam talian — connected to the Internet
  • Manx: er-linney — connected to the Internet
  • Māori: ā-ipurangi — connected to the Internet
  • Māori: tuihono — connected to the Internet
  • Marathi: ऑनलाइन (ŏnlāin) — connected to the Internet
  • Norman: brantchi — connected to the Internet
  • Polish: online — connected to the Internet
  • Portuguese: online — connected to the Internet
  • Portuguese: em linha — connected to the Internet
  • Romanian: online — connected to the Internet
  • Romanian: în internet — connected to the Internet
  • Russian: в сети́ (v setí) — connected to the Internet
  • Scottish Gaelic: air loidhne — connected to the Internet
  • Slovene: dosegljiv — connected to the Internet
  • Spanish: en línea — connected to the Internet
  • Spanish: online (onláin) — connected to the Internet
  • Tagalog: onlayn — connected to the Internet
  • Tok Pisin: onlain — connected to the Internet
  • Turkish: açık — connected to the Internet
  • Turkish: çevrim içi — connected to the Internet
  • Turkish: online — connected to the Internet
  • Ukrainian: в мере́жі́ (v meréží) — connected to the Internet
  • Ukrainian: у мере́жі́ (u meréží) — connected to the Internet
  • Walloon: raloyî — connected to the Internet
  • Welsh: ar lein — connected to the Internet
  • Armenian: առցանց (aṙcʻancʻ) — available on a computer system
  • Finnish: online — available on a computer system
  • Malay: dalam talian — available on a computer system
  • Welsh: ar lein — available on a computer system
  • Bulgarian: вклю́чен (vkljúčen) — of a system that is active
  • Finnish: päällä — of a system that is active
  • Finnish: toiminnassa — of a system that is active
  • German: eingeschaltet — of a system that is active
  • Irish: gníomhach — of a system that is active
  • Irish: ag obair — of a system that is active
  • Irish: ag feidhmiú — of a system that is active
  • Japanese: 起動 (kidō) — of a system that is active
  • Malay: dalam talian — of a system that is active
  • Spanish: en operación — of a system that is active
  • Afrikaans: aanlyn — performed over Internet
  • Armenian: առցանց (aṙcʻancʻ) — performed over Internet
  • Esperanto: interrete — performed over Internet
  • Finnish: verkossa — performed over Internet
  • Finnish: verkko- — performed over Internet
  • Finnish: online- — performed over Internet
  • Greek: ονλαιν (onlain) — performed over Internet
  • Greek: διαδικτυακά (diadiktyaká) — performed over Internet
  • Indonesian: daring — performed over Internet
  • Indonesian: di internet — performed over Internet
  • Malay: dalam talian — performed over Internet
  • Māori: tuihono — performed over Internet
  • Marathi: ऑनलाइन (ŏnlāin) — performed over Internet
  • Polish: online — performed over Internet
  • Portuguese: online — performed over Internet
  • Spanish: en línea — performed over Internet
  • Spanish: online (onláin) — performed over Internet
  • Tok Pisin: onlain — performed over Internet
Real reading context

online in complete knowledge articles