connect

connect — verb

1. to put two or more physical items together so that they touch, fasten, or work a

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveA2
Definition

to put two or more physical items together so that they touch, fasten, or work as a single unit — for example, connecting a TV to a cable box or connecting two garden hoses so water flows through them.

Example

Jude connected the printer to his laptop with a USB cable.

connect + [object] + to + [device/object]

The two garden hoses connect easily with this special clip.

intransitive use: two things connect

Common collocations
  • connect to
  • connect with
  • connect firmly
  • connect directly
  • cable connects
  • pipe connects
  • wire connects
  • hose connects
  • connect securely
Synonyms
  • attach

    more general; can mean fixing one thing to another without implying a functional link

  • link

    often implies a chain or series of connections rather than a direct join

  • join

    focuses on the act of bringing two things into contact; slightly more formal than 'connect'

  • fasten

    implies making something secure, often with a physical device like a clip or rope

Antonyms
  • disconnect

    the direct opposite; to separate things that were joined

Grammar Patterns

connect + [object] + to/with + [object]

[two things] + connect

Usage Note

The most common preposition patterns are 'connect A to B' (for physical attachment) and 'connect A with B' (for linking systems). With intransitive use, the subject is typically two or more items that share a joining point.

Common Mistakes

I connected the printer with my laptop' (meaning physically attaching)
I connected the printer to my laptop
For physical joining, 'to' is the standard preposition; 'with' can sound unclear.
I connected the two wires but they didn't connect together
I connected the two wires but they didn't connect
'Connect' already implies two things joining; 'together' is unnecessary.

2. to think of or show that two people, things, or events are linked in some way —

2.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to think of or show that two people, things, or events are linked in some way — for example, connecting rising temperatures to climate change or connecting a suspect with a crime through evidence.

Example

Researchers connect the city's higher crime rate to rising unemployment.

connect + [cause] + to + [effect]

Folake could not connect the strange phone call with any real event in her life.

Common collocations
  • connect with
  • connect to
  • closely connected
  • directly connected
  • connect evidence
  • connect events
Synonyms
  • link

    very similar in meaning but slightly less formal; often used in computing and everyday speech

  • associate

    focuses on mental linking rather than factual evidence; more subjective

  • relate

    implies a logical or causal connection between things

  • tie

    informal; suggests a close or binding connection

Antonyms
  • separate

    to consider or treat as unrelated

  • distinguish

    to notice or point out differences rather than links

Grammar Patterns

connect + [person/thing] + to/with + [other]

be connected + to/with

connect + [event] + to/with + [cause]

Usage Note

Commonly used in academic, investigative, or explanatory contexts. The pattern 'be connected with' often suggests a weaker or more indirect link than 'be connected to'. Subject can be a person (connecting ideas) or evidence/data (showing a relationship).

Common Mistakes

She connected that he was lying
She connected his nervousness with the fact that he was lying
'Connect' cannot take a that-clause directly; use 'connect A with/and B' or 'connect A to B'.

3. to feel understood and at ease with someone because you share similar interests,

3.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to feel understood and at ease with someone because you share similar interests, values, experiences, or feelings — for example, connecting with a colleague who grew up in the same hometown.

Example

Jiwoo felt she could truly connect with her new classmates after they shared travel stories.

connect with + [person/group] — emotional rapport

I never really connected with my grandfather until we started gardening together.

Common collocations
  • connect with
  • connect emotionally
  • feel connected
  • truly connect
  • deeply connected
  • connect personally
Synonyms
  • relate to

    more passive — you understand someone's situation without necessarily feeling a personal bond

  • bond with

    implies a stronger, more lasting emotional attachment formed over time

  • hit it off

    informal; describes an instant, easy connection upon first meeting

Antonyms
  • drift apart

    to gradually lose a close emotional connection

Grammar Patterns

connect + with + [person/group]

feel + connected + to + [person]

Usage Note

Almost always used with the preposition 'with'. The intransitive pattern 'connect with someone' is the most natural. In passive form, 'feel connected to someone' shifts the focus to the emotional state of the speaker rather than the mutual relationship.

Common Mistakes

I connect with my brother very much
I really connect with my brother
'Connect with' is not modified by 'very much'; use 'really', 'deeply', or 'truly' instead.

4. to put someone into telephone contact with another person so they can have a con

4.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to put someone into telephone contact with another person so they can have a conversation — for example, a receptionist connecting a caller to a manager's office.

Example

Please hold the line while I connect you to Mr. Chen's office.

connect + [person] + to + [person/department]

Trang tried three times before the operator finally connected her call to Bangkok.

Common collocations
  • connect to
  • connect with
  • connect a call
  • connect someone
  • connect the line
  • operator connects
Synonyms
  • put through

    phrasal verb; informal and very common in office phone conversations

  • transfer

    implies moving an existing call from one line or person to another

  • patch through

    informal; technical or radio context

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

connect + [person] + to + [person/place]

connect + [call]

Usage Note

Common in customer-service and office settings. Both 'connect to' and 'connect with' are used, though 'connect to' is more typical when referring to a specific person or extension, while 'connect with' may refer to a team or department.

Common Mistakes

Please connect me for John
Please connect me to John' or 'Please connect me with John
'Connect' requires 'to' or 'with', not 'for', when putting someone in telephone contact.

5. When a bus, train, plane, or other public transport is scheduled to arrive short

5.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

When a bus, train, plane, or other public transport is scheduled to arrive shortly before another service departs, giving travelers the chance to switch vehicles and continue their trip — for example, a flight landing just before a connecting train departs from the same station.

Example

The last train from Taipei connects with the early ferry to Tamsui.

intransitive: [transport A] + connects with + [transport B]

Her London flight landed and connected to Berlin an hour later.

Common collocations
  • connect with
  • train connects
  • bus connects
  • flight connects
  • plane connects
  • connect through
  • well-connected
Synonyms
  • link up

    informal; can describe any transport services that meet at a point

  • synchronize with

    formal; implies careful timetable planning between services

Antonyms
  • miss

    when a passenger fails to board the connecting transport because it left before they arrived

Grammar Patterns

[transport vehicle] + connect(s) + with + [other transport]

Usage Note

Used intransitively — the subject is always a mode of transport (bus, train, plane, ferry). The pattern 'connect with' specifies the second vehicle. A vehicle 'connects' if its schedule is designed to meet another. If a passenger uses this arrangement, they 'make a connection'.

Common Mistakes

I connected to another train' (when talking about changing trains)
My train connected with another train' or 'I made a connection
For transport schedules, 'connect' describes the vehicles, not the passenger's action.

6. When a player's hand, foot, fist, or sports equipment makes firm contact with a

6.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

When a player's hand, foot, fist, or sports equipment makes firm contact with a ball or opponent during a game or activity — for example, a boxer's punch connecting with the opponent's chin, or a bat connecting with a baseball.

Example

Nikos connected with the ball and sent it deep into left field.

connect with + [ball] — baseball context

The boxer's punch connected squarely with his opponent's jaw.

Common collocations
  • connect with
  • connect squarely
  • connect cleanly
  • connect firmly
  • punch connects
  • bat connects
  • kick connects
  • fist connects
Synonyms
  • hit

    more general and common; does not carry the same sense of a clean, planned impact

  • strike

    more formal or dramatic; implies deliberate forceful impact

  • make contact

    a descriptive phrase rather than a single verb; neutral in register

Antonyms
  • miss

    to fail to make contact with the ball or target

Grammar Patterns

[body part/equipment] + connect(s) + with + [ball/target]

Usage Note

Almost always used intransitively with 'with'. Common in sports commentary and informal conversation about games. The subject is typically a body part (punch, kick, fist) or sports implement (bat, racket, club). Adverbs like 'squarely', 'cleanly', 'firmly', and 'perfectly' frequently modify this sense.

Common Mistakes

He connected the ball strongly
He connected with the ball strongly
In the sports sense, 'connect' is always intransitive and requires 'with' before the object.
Phrasal verbs

connect up

phrasal verb

To join two or more things together so that they work as a system.

The technician will connect up the new computer to the network.

Have you connected up the printer to your laptop yet?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

While connect, attach, link, join, and fasten all refer to putting things together, they differ in what kind of joining they emphasize. Connect (very common, A2) is the broadest and most neutral — it works for physical items (connecting cables), electronic devices (connecting to Wi-Fi), and abstract concepts (connecting ideas). Attach focuses on fixing one thing to another, often using a physical mechanism; you attach a file to an email or attach a hook to a wall, but you wouldn't say 'attach two ideas' in casual speech. Link suggests a series or chain — linking arms or linking one event to another implies a connection that may have intermediate steps. Join implies bringing two separate things into contact or unity, like joining two pieces of wood with glue or joining a club. Fasten is more specific: it means making something secure with a device — you fasten a seatbelt, a button, or a latch. For everyday physical joining, connect is the safest choice: 'Connect the hose to the tap' is natural, whereas 'Fasten the hose to the tap' sounds odd.

attach ↗link ↗join ↗fasten ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • connect the dots
  • connect the pieces
  • stay connected

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Connect comes from Latin 'connectere', a combination of 'com-' (meaning 'together') and 'nectere' (meaning 'to bind or tie'). The idea was literally 'to tie together'. It entered English through French in the 15th century, first used for physically joining objects, and later extended to telephone calls, emotional bonds, and abstract ideas.