What does join mean?
Join means to bring two or more people, places, objects, or ideas together into a connected whole. Its most common physical sense describes roads, lines, pieces of material, or locations meeting at a point: “The railway lines join south of the station.” It also means combining forces or resources, as in “join the campaign” or “join forces,” and becoming part of a group, organization, or conversation. In social contexts, joining can imply welcoming, participation, or inclusion: “Would you like to join us?” The word is flexible and neutral in tone, shifting according to context from the straightforward connection of physical objects to membership, cooperation, and social participation. It is especially useful because it can describe both physical joining and the figurative joining of people through shared work, institutions, or conversation.
To connect, unite, or associate two or more people, places, things, or groups; also, to become a member or participant of a group or activity.
"The committee invited several independent experts to join the discussion."
When used in the sense of becoming a member, “join” is commonly followed directly by a group, organization, or activity.
An act or instance of joining, or the point at which two things are connected.
"The seam forms a clean join between the two sections."
The noun is less common than the verb and is chiefly used in technical, descriptive, or formal contexts.
From the Latin for “to yoke,” join carries the enduring idea of bringing separate parts into one connected whole.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does join come from?
Join comes through Old French joindre, “to join,” from Latin jungere, “to yoke or fasten together.” The word entered Middle English in forms associated with both connecting physical parts and joining people or groups. Its relatives include joint, junction, conjoin, and enjoin, all reflecting the same ancient Latin root of fastening or bringing together.
Related word forms
How join is actually used
The word is neutral in register and common in both formal and informal English. In its group-membership sense, “join” is often followed by a group or activity directly: “join the committee,” “join the discussion,” or “join us for dinner.”
Easily confused with join
A join is the act or point of connecting things, whereas a joint is the resulting connection or the surface where two parts meet.