What does mainlined mean?
Mainlined is the past tense and past participle of mainline, a verb meaning to give something prominent placement or treat it as a central feature. Newspapers mainline a story, broadcasters mainline an interview, and marketers mainline a product when they want to emphasize it above other subjects or messages. The word often implies active promotion rather than mere inclusion, and it can carry a mildly critical implication that the featured subject has been singled out for attention. Mainlined also has an informal drug-related sense: to inject a substance directly into a vein. This use appears in discussions of heroin and other injectable drugs and is generally neutral in dictionary descriptions, though the practice itself is hazardous and potentially fatal. Mainlined is therefore useful for describing both the deliberate elevation of a subject and, less commonly, a particularly dangerous method of drug administration.
verbMainlined is the past tense and past participle of mainline. It can mean to feature something prominently or incorporate it into the main channel of communication; informally, it can also mean to inject a drug into a vein.
- To feature or give prominent status to something, especially in a broadcast, publication, campaign, or program.
- Informally, to inject a drug into a vein.
"The network mainlined the election interview in its evening broadcast."
"The festival mainlined local artists while giving lesser-known performers a supporting stage."
"He mainlined heroin, a dangerous practice that can rapidly lead to addiction and overdose."
Mainlined can mean promoted to center stage—or injected straight into a vein.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mainlined come from?
Mainlined derives from the compound mainline, formed from main and line. Main comes through Old French main from Latin mainus, meaning “hand” or “chief,” while line comes through Old French ligne from Latin linea, originally referring to linen thread. Expressions such as main line were established for principal routes, especially railways, before figurative uses developed; by the mid-20th century, mainline had acquired senses concerning prominence and intravenous drug injection.
Related word forms
How mainlined is actually used
The promotional sense is informal but common in media, marketing, and cultural commentary, where it can suggest that a subject has been given disproportionate attention. The injection sense is also informal and clinically neutral but carries clear risks associated with intravenous drug use.
Easily confused with mainlined
Lined is the past tense and past participle of line, whereas mainlined means to feature something prominently or, in drug use, to inject it into a vein.