Meaning & use
join
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive
To fasten or bring two or more things together so that they become connected.
Grammar: Takes an object: join the two pipes.
Patterns
- join something to something
- join something and something
- join something together
The carpenter joined the two boards with glue and small nails.
A new bridge will join the island to the mainland.
Join the pieces together before the paint dries.
verbtransitive
To become a member of a club, team, company or other group.
Grammar: No preposition is needed: join a club, not join to a club.
Patterns
- join an organization
- join a team
She joined the chess club in her first week at university.
He joined the company as a trainee and stayed for thirty years.
My brother joined the army when he was eighteen.
verbtransitive
To go along with someone or take part in what they are already doing.
Grammar: Often followed by for or in: join us for dinner, join in the song.
Patterns
- join someone for something
- join someone in doing something
Would you like to join us for lunch?
Several neighbors joined the search for the missing dog.
Please join me in thanking our guest speaker.
verbtransitive or intransitive
To meet and flow together, as roads, rivers or lines do.
Grammar: Can take an object or stand alone: the road joins the highway, or the two streams join.
Patterns
- something joins something
- something and something join
The small stream joins the river just below the old mill.
Where the two roads join, there is a gas station.
Follow the path until it joins the main road.
Word forms
| third person singular | joins |
|---|---|
| past tense | joined |
| past participle | joined |
| -ing form | joining |
Common combinations
- join a club
- I decided to join a running club to meet people.
- join forces
- The two schools joined forces to organize the festival.
- join the queue
- Please join the queue at the back of the hall.
- join in
- Everyone joined in when the band played the old favorite.
- join hands
- The children joined hands and formed a circle.
- join up
- The two paths join up near the lake.
Synonyms and how they differ
- connect
- Connect stresses a link, often one that can carry something like power or traffic, while join suggests the parts are actually fastened or merged.
- enroll
- Enroll is more formal and usually applies to a course or school, whereas join suits clubs and teams of any kind.
- unite
- Unite suggests people or groups coming together for a shared aim, which is stronger and more formal than simply join.
- attach
- Attach means to fix one thing onto another, and it does not suit people or groups the way join does.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: join or enter?
join vs enter
You enter a room or a contest, but you join a club or a group of people. Join suggests becoming part of something.
Practice
I'd love for you to ___ us at the table; there is plenty of room.
Choose one answer.
Join is the natural verb for coming to sit with other people. 'Attach' is for fastening objects and 'unite' is too formal and needs a group aim.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “join”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.