join
A1Neutral, suitable for all registers from informal to formal.
Definition
Meaning
To connect, fasten, or bring together two or more things, people, or groups.
To become a member of a group or organization; to participate in an activity; to meet or unite with someone; in computing, to combine data from two or more tables.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The central meaning is connection/union, which extends to both physical linking and abstract membership/participation. It often implies a transition from a state of separation to one of connection.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or usage. The word is used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Equally neutral in both dialects.
Frequency
High and equally frequent in both UK and US English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
join + [NP] (e.g., join a group)join + [NP] + [PP] (e.g., join us for dinner)join + in + [NP/V-ing] (e.g., join in the fun/join in singing)join + with + [NP] (e.g., join with other companies)join + togetherVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “join the club”
- “if you can't beat them, join them”
- “join forces”
- “join hands”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to becoming an employee, merging companies, or participating in a partnership. 'She decided to join the marketing team.'
Academic
Used in discussions about membership, participation in studies, or logical connection of ideas. 'Several factors join to influence the outcome.'
Everyday
Common for social activities, groups, queues, and travel. 'We joined the motorway at junction 14.'
Technical
In computing/databases, 'JOIN' is a key operation to combine rows from two or more tables.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I'd like to join the tennis club.
- Where does this path join the main road?
- Shall we join the others for a pint?
American English
- He plans to join the Marines.
- Click here to join the meeting.
- The two rivers join just north of town.
adverb
British English
- N/A (Not a standard adverb)
American English
- N/A (Not a standard adverb)
adjective
British English
- The join is seamless.
- A join operation in the database.
American English
- Check the pipe join for leaks.
- This is a join table.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please join our group.
- He wants to join the football team.
- The two roads join here.
- She decided to join a professional association.
- We can join the pieces together with glue.
- Will you join us for lunch tomorrow?
- The two companies agreed to join forces on the new project.
- Many activists joined the protest march.
- The data from these two tables need to be joined correctly.
- The treaty aimed to join the economies of the member states more closely.
- Several smaller parties joined to form a coalition government.
- The surgeon skillfully joined the severed nerves.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the letter 'J' as a hook that connects things together. 'Join' starts with 'J' and hooks things up.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS/ORGANIZATIONS ARE CONTAINERS (you 'join' a club, you are 'in' it). UNION IS PHYSICAL ATTACHMENT (to join hands).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'присоединяться' for abstract connection only; 'join' is also used for physical connection. Avoid overusing 'connect'.
- Russian 'войти' (to enter) is not always 'join'. You 'join' a group but 'enter' a room.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I joined to the party.' Correct: 'I joined the party.' (No preposition for direct object)
- Confusing 'join' vs. 'attend' (You join a club, but attend a meeting).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'join' used INCORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Join' emphasises bringing together to form a single unit or group, often for a common purpose. 'Connect' is more general, focusing on establishing a link or relationship, which may not imply full unification (e.g., connected by a bridge).
Primarily, yes. It usually takes a direct object (join something). However, in phrasal verbs like 'join in' or 'join up', it can be intransitive (e.g., 'Why don't you join in?').
Yes, for actions in progress or temporary situations. 'She is currently joining several smaller datasets.' However, for permanent membership ('be a member of'), simple tenses are more common ('She joined the club', not 'is joining').
The main noun is 'joint' (a place where two things are joined). The act of joining can be called a 'joining' or 'junction'. In computing, the operation is a 'join'.