Definition and pronunciation
hook up — phrasal verb meaning connect or attach (a device or service); meet or collaborate; in informal social use, to meet casually or have a casual sexual encounter.
Pronounced /ˈhʊk ˌʌp/.
Easy explanation
Hook up can mean connect things (hook up the TV), meet someone (let’s hook up after work), or have a casual romantic/sexual encounter. Context tells which meaning is intended.
Part of speech and grammar
- Verb forms: hook up, hooked up, hooking up
- Patterns:
- hook up with [person] (meet, team up, or casual encounter)
- hook up to/into/onto [device/service] (connect)
- hook [someone] up with [thing/opportunity] (provide)
- hook up at/in [time/place] (arrange a meeting)
- Noun link: hookup (the meeting/encounter or a connection)
Register and tone
Informal in social use; neutral in technical/logistics use. Because it’s ambiguous, prefer precise verbs (meet, make out, have sex, connect) in professional or health contexts.
Connection to sexuality
Yes, in one sense. Hook up with someone often means a casual romantic/sexual encounter, sometimes only kissing or making out. Use clear wording when consent, safety, or health details matter.
Common collocations
hook up with friends, hook up later/tonight, hook up the projector, hook up to Wi-Fi, RV hook ups, hook someone up with tickets, hookup culture, hookup app
Idioms and set phrases
hook up with someone, get hooked up (be provided/connected), a hookup (noun), hook up to life support, hook up a trailer
Prepositions and nuance
- with [person] — social/romantic/sexual or “team up”
- to/into/onto [system/device] — physical or digital connection
- with [thing/opportunity] — provisioning: hook me up with a charger
- at/in [place/time] — meet: hook up at noon in the lobby
Word comparisons
- hook up vs meet up — meet up is just meeting; hook up may imply casual sex
- hook up vs make out — make out focuses on kissing
- hook up vs sleep with/have sex — those are explicit; hook up is vaguer
- hook up vs set up — set up means arrange or assemble; hook up can mean connect or provide
Real-life examples
- We hooked up with the research team to share data.
- Can you hook the console up to HDMI 2?
- They hooked up after the concert and stayed friends.
- The campsite offers full hook ups: water, electric, sewer.
- The venue hooked us up with backstage passes.
Sample sentences
- Let’s hook up after class and compare notes.
- The nurse hooked him up to an IV.
- They’re not dating; they hooked up a few times last year.
- Could you hook me up with an extra badge?
- Please hook the router up to the modem before testing.
Synonyms
(meet/sexual) meet up, get together, make out, fool around, sleep with, have sex
(connect/provide) connect, attach, link, plug in, wire up, set up, supply, fix up
Antonyms
(meet/sexual) abstain, remain platonic, avoid, break off
(connect/provide) disconnect, detach, unplug, cut off, deprive
Related terms
hookup, hookup culture, friends with benefits, casual sex, consent, safer sex, connect, adapter, interface, utility hook ups, trailer hitch
Notes and etiquette
Avoid ambiguity in formal contexts: say meet, connect, make out, or have sex as needed. When the sexual meaning is intended, center consent, boundaries, and safer-sex practices.
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