linked
HighFormal and informal; common in all registers, especially technical and business contexts.
Definition
Meaning
connected, joined, or related, often forming a chain or series.
Having an association or relationship; connected by means of technology, thought, or circumstances; also, to be interconnected in a way that implies interdependence or causality.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can describe physical connection (chain links), conceptual connection (linked ideas), or relational connection (linked people/events). As an adjective, often preceded by an adverb (closely, directly, inextricably).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant semantic differences. Minor spelling preferences in compounds (e.g., 'link-up' slightly more common in UK, 'linkup' in US).
Connotations
Largely identical. In UK news, 'linked' may be slightly more common in crime/event reporting (e.g., 'police believe the incidents are linked').
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be linked to/with something/someonelink A to/with Bbecome linkedVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Linked by blood”
- “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link (related concept)”
- “Linked in (from the platform LinkedIn)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used for corporate relationships, mergers, supply chains (e.g., 'Our performance is linked to market trends').
Academic
Describes causal relationships, theoretical connections (e.g., 'The study found the variables were significantly linked').
Everyday
Describes personal relationships, events, or items (e.g., 'Our wifi devices are all linked').
Technical
In computing: hyperlinked data, networked devices, linked lists, etc.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The detective linked the suspect to the crime scene.
- They've linked the new railway line to the main station.
American English
- The study linked diet to heart disease.
- She linked her phone to the car's bluetooth.
adjective
British English
- The two crimes are thought to be linked.
- We live in a globally linked economy.
American English
- All the devices are on a linked network.
- They are linked by a common ancestry.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The two rooms are linked by a door.
- My computer is linked to the printer.
- Scientists have linked smoking to health problems.
- The two companies are linked in a partnership.
- The journalist linked the minister's statement to the recent scandal.
- Our fates seemed strangely linked from that moment.
- The author masterfully linked the protagonist's childhood trauma to her adult motivations.
- Inextricably linked ecosystems are vulnerable to cascade failures.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a chain LINK; each ring is 'linked' to the next. Or think of a web LINK (URL) that connects pages.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONNECTION IS A PHYSICAL BOND/TIE. (e.g., 'linked by fate' imagines fate as a chain connecting people).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid overusing 'related' as a direct translation for 'linked' when a more specific connection is meant. 'Linked' often implies a more direct, traceable connection than просто 'связанный'. In technical contexts, 'linked list' is 'связный список'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'linked with' instead of 'linked to' for causal relationships (both are acceptable, but 'to' is often preferred). Incorrect: 'He was linked of the crime'. Correct: 'He was linked to the crime'.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'linked' used as an adjective?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'linked' can be followed by 'to' or 'with'. 'To' is more common for direct connections or causation, while 'with' is often used for associations or partnerships.
'Linked' often implies a more direct, specific, or traceable connection (like a chain link), while 'related' is broader and can mean simply belonging to the same category or family.
Yes, very commonly. It is frequently used for abstract connections between ideas, events, people, or data.
It's a fundamental data structure where elements (nodes) are stored sequentially, with each node containing data and a reference (or 'link') to the next node in the sequence.
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