join
gb/d͡ʒˈɔɪn/ us/d͡ʒˈɔɪn/
A2
English
~ 600
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Connect or bring together
To connect or put people or things together so they become one group or unit.
Usage pattern:
to join [something] to [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'join' with 'meet'; 'join' means to connect or become part of something, while 'meet' means to come together to see each other.
Synonyms
connect (More general; can refer to physical or abstract links.)
|
unite (Emphasizes forming a single whole, often with emotional or political overtones.)
Antonyms
separate (Means to move apart or keep things from being together.)
Collocations
join forces
|join hands
|join two pieces
|join the ends
|join the parts
Themes
daily life
|communication
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Please join the two pieces of wood with glue.
- The river joins the sea at this point.
- We joined the two cables together.
Learner examples
- Join the two tables.
- The rivers join here.
- Please join the lines with tape.
Verb
A2
action
2
Become a member of group
To enter a group, club, or team as a member.
Usage pattern:
to join [a group/organization]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say 'join into' incorrectly; 'join' already implies becoming part of something, so 'into' is unnecessary.
Synonyms
enroll (Often used for courses or formal programs.)
|
enter (Broad term for going into a group or place; less specific about membership.)
Antonyms
leave (Means to stop being a member of a group.)
Collocations
join a club
|join a team
|join an organization
|join the army
Themes
relationships
|business
|daily life
|work
Examples
- She decided to join the chess club at school.
- He joined the company in 2015.
- Many young people join the army after graduation.
Learner examples
- I want to join the club.
- He joined the team last year.
- She will join the school choir.
Verb
A2
action
3
Go and be with someone
To go to be with someone and do something together.
Usage pattern:
to join [someone] for [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'join' with 'meet'; 'meet' is when you come together, 'join' is when you become part of an ongoing activity.
Synonyms
accompany (More formal; often implies going along for support or company.)
Antonyms
stay behind (Means to not go along with others.)
Collocations
join for dinner
|join in the fun
|join on a trip
Themes
daily life
|social
|daily_life
|relationships
Examples
- Would you like to join us for lunch?
- She joined me on my walk through the park.
- He joined them at the concert after work.
Learner examples
- Join us for dinner.
- I will join you at the park.
- She joined me in the game.
Verb
B1
action
4
Take part in an activity
To take part in something with other people.
Usage pattern:
to join in [an activity]
Common mistake:
Some learners forget 'in' after 'join' when talking about participating; without 'in', it may mean becoming a member instead.
Synonyms
participate (More formal; common in official contexts.)
Antonyms
opt out (Means to choose not to take part in something.)
Collocations
join in the discussion
|join in the game
|join in singing
Themes
daily life
|communication
|daily_life
Examples
- Everyone joined in singing the national anthem.
- She was shy at first but then joined in the conversation.
- The children joined in the dancing happily.
Learner examples
- Join in the game!
- He joined in the song.
- We all joined in the dance.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
5
Place where things connect
The place where two things are connected together.
Synonyms
joint (More common term for this meaning; used broadly for physical connections.)
Antonyms
gap (An empty space between two things instead of a connection.)
Collocations
welded join
|seam join
|wood join
Themes
construction
|engineering
|core_vocabulary
|science
Examples
- Check each join for signs of weakness.
- The carpenter inspected the join between the boards.
- A clean join is important for strength.
Learner examples
- This is a strong join.
- The join is not smooth.
- We fixed the join with glue.
Grammar
Dictionary form
join
IPA
GB/d͡ʒˈɔɪn/
US/d͡ʒˈɔɪn/
Syllables & stress
join (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (join)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: join
- Plural: joins
Verb
- Base: join
- 3rd Person Singular: joins
- Present Participle: joining
- Past: joined
Word family
Expressions
join forces
1/d͡ʒˈɔɪn fˈɔɹsɪz/
idiom
Work together toward a goal
To work together with another person or group for the same purpose.
Examples
- Two companies joined forces to create a new product.
- The charities joined forces to help disaster victims.
join hands
1/d͡ʒˈɔɪn hˈændz/
idiom
Hold hands or unite for cause
To hold hands with others, often as a sign of unity, or to work together on something important.
Examples
- They joined hands and formed a circle.
- The communities joined hands to fight poverty.
join in
1/d͡ʒˈɔɪn ˈɪn/
phrasal verb
Participate in an ongoing activity
To take part in an activity that other people are already doing.
Examples
- Come and join in the fun!
- She was hesitant at first but then joined in the conversation.