network
noun · verb
Simple meaning
An interconnected system of things or people.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
nehtwerkSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈnɛtwɚk
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
An interconnected system of things or people
“He owned a network of shops.”
Any interconnected group or system.
electronics
A system of interconnected electronic components or circuits
broadcasting
A communication system consisting of a group of broadcasting stations that all transmit the same programs
“The networks compete to broadcast important sports events.”
A set of people with sociocultural connections to one another; especially, such a set consisting of occupational or business connections.
computingInternet
A computer network: multiple computers and other devices connected together to share information.
verb
intransitive
To interact socially for the purpose of getting connections or personal advancement.
transitive
To connect two or more computers or other computerized devices.
transitive
To interconnect a group or system.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner (estimated)
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: An interconnected system of things or people
Used this way, network is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“He owned a network of shops.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “network of …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Nearby words
- net , more casual, better suited to speech than writing
Natural pattern: network of …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use network
- “He owned a network of shops.”noun
- “You have to network if you want to get a good job.”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Specification of design principles (including data formats and procedures) for creating a network configuration of data processors.
A group of like-minded people united by the internet.
The schedule of programs to be broadcast on a network.
The configuration of a communication network.
A network of computers.
A system of interconnected electronic components or circuits.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: interconnected system of things or people
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.