interlink
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /ˌɪntəlˈɪŋk/
US
- /ˌɪntərˈlɪŋk/
Description
- connect
- join into a system
- tie closely together
- work together
Imagine a spiderweb: each strand connects with the others, making one strong whole. To interlink means to connect things so they are tied closely together and work as parts of the same system. It is more than a simple join. It often suggests that the parts affect one another. Think of how websites interlink, or how parts of nature are interlinked through food chains.
The word often gives the sense that one part leads to another. A detective might study how small clues interlink and slowly reveal a bigger story. An architect might plan paths, buildings, and gardens so they interlink and feel like one place. The idea is that separate parts come together and make something larger and more connected.
To interlink means to connect things with one another so they form a larger whole. The connection is usually close, and it often suggests that the parts work together, affect one another, or fit into the same system. It is stronger than a simple one-to-one link. When things interlink, they become part of a wider pattern.
You can use the word for physical, digital, social, or abstract connections. Roads may interlink towns. Websites may interlink pages. Parts of an ecosystem may interlink through feeding relationships, shared spaces, and changing seasons. In everyday life, jobs, families, schools, and local services can all be interlinked, with one change spreading into other areas.
The word also works well in a more figurative way. A writer may show how the events in a story interlink. A historian may explain how decisions, conflicts, and economic pressures interlink across time. A teacher may help students see how ideas from different subjects interlink rather than stand alone.
Compared with "connect" or "link," "interlink" usually puts more focus on a network of connections rather than a single bond. It often carries the sense that the links go both ways, or that many parts are joined at once. Because of that, the word is especially useful when you want to describe systems, patterns, or relationships in which each part matters to the whole.
So, if separate things are not merely joined but woven into one broader structure, "interlink" is a natural word to use. It points to connection, shared function, and the idea that one part makes more sense when you see how it fits with the others.
Examples
- 1
Transport network
The train lines interlink at the central station, so passengers can change routes easily.
- 2
Campus access
The new footbridge interlinks the two sides of the campus.
- 3
Software records
The software interlinks customer records with past orders.
- 4
Academic subjects
In this course, history and geography are closely interlinked.
- 5
Social issues
Poverty, health, and education are often interlinked, so one problem can affect the others.
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- interlinkverb
Forms
- interlinkedpast tenseverb
- interlinking-ing formverb
- interlinksverb