unconnected
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /ʌnkənˈɛktɪd/
US
- /ˌənkəˈnɛktɪd/
Description
- not linked
- separate
- isolated
- unrelated
Imagine a string of pearls. Each pearl is lovely on its own, but the necklace only works because the pearls are joined together. This word is what you would use if that string broke. It means things are not joined and do not relate to each other. A series of unconnected events can seem random, with no clear pattern. A person may feel unconnected to their community if they do not have close ties with the people around them. It can also describe being offline and cut off from the wider world.
"Unconnected" describes something that does not have a link, relationship, or association with something else. It suggests separation, and sometimes a sense of distance or isolation. Think about a network of roads: if one section is unconnected to the rest, traffic cannot flow smoothly.
The word can be used literally, such as for physical objects that are not joined together, as in "unconnected train cars." However, it is also often used in a more figurative way. You might say someone feels "unconnected" to their family after a disagreement, or that two ideas are "unconnected" if there is no logical relationship between them.
In the digital age, we also use "unconnected" to describe a lack of internet access; being "unconnected" means you cannot reach the online world. But the word can also describe a broader sense of isolation or detachment. A person who feels lonely might feel unconnected to society as a whole.
So, whether it refers to physical links, emotional bonds, logical relationships, or digital access, "unconnected" highlights a state of being separate and lacking association with something else. It points to the importance of connection and what happens when that connection is missing.
Examples
- 1
Device setup
The new printer is still unconnected, so we can't use it yet.
- 2
Police investigation
At first, the police thought the two cases were unconnected.
- 3
Work relationship
Her new project is unconnected with the company she used to work for.
Pattern
unconnected with/to + person, group, or thing
not related to it
- 4
Neutral expert
The report was written by an expert unconnected to either side of the argument.
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- unconnectedadjective