Definition and pronunciation
hookup / hook-up (noun) — a casual meeting or sexual encounter; also a connection to a service/device or a helpful contact.
hook up (phrasal verb) — to meet or collaborate; to have a casual sexual encounter; to connect/attach; to provide someone with something.
US /ˈhʊkˌʌp/.
Easy explanation
A hookup can mean two different things: a casual romantic/sexual encounter, or a connection (to power, water, the internet, a device, or even a person who can get you tickets). Context tells you which one.
Part of speech and grammar
- Noun: a hookup; hookups.
- Verb: hook up (hooked up, hooking up).
- Patterns:
- hook up with [person] (meet, date casually, or have sex; also “team up”)
- hook up to [power/wifi/IV/trailer] (connect)
- hook [someone] up with [thing/opportunity] (provide/arrange)
- hook up at [time/place] (meet)
Register and tone
Informal. The sexual sense is common in youth/college talk and pop culture. In tech/logistics, the connection sense is neutral. In careful writing, be explicit to avoid ambiguity.
Connection to sexuality
Yes. As a noun or verb, hookup / hook up often means a casual sexual encounter, sometimes without commitment. It may also mean just “meet up” or “make out,” so specify if clarity matters.
Common collocations
casual hookup, one-night hookup, hookup culture, hookup app, friends-with-benefits hookup, RV hookups (water/electric/sewer), cable/internet hookup, trailer hookup, ticket hookup, tech hookup
Idioms and expressions
- hook up with someone — meet/date casually or have sex
- get hooked up — be connected/provided for: “We’re hooked up to fiber now” / “HR hooked me up with relocation help”
- a hookup — a deal or special access: “She’s my travel hookup”
Prepositions and nuance
- with (people) — social/romantic/sexual, or team up: She hooked up with an old friend.
- to/into/onto (systems/devices) — physical or digital connection: Hook it up to the TV.
- with (things) — provisioning: They hooked us up with passes.
- at/in (time/place) — meeting plan: Let’s hook up at noon.
Ambiguity tip: in journalism or health contexts, prefer meet, date, make out, or have sex instead of hook up when precision is important.
Word comparisons
- hook up vs make out — make out focuses on kissing; hook up may include sex.
- hook up vs sleep with / have sex — those are clear; hook up is vaguer.
- hook up vs date — date suggests ongoing meetings/romance; hook up can be one-off.
- hookup vs connection — in tech/logistics, connection is unambiguous.
- hook up vs set up — set up means arrange; hook up can mean arrange or provide, but also sex/meet.
Real-life examples
- They hooked up after the concert, then stayed friends.
- Can you hook up the projector to HDMI 2?
- Our campsite has full hookups: water, electric, and sewer.
- She has a sneaker-store hookup who holds pairs for her.
- The headline said the characters “hook up,” but the scene only shows them kissing.
Sample sentences
- We’re not dating; we hooked up a few times last year.
- Could you hook me up with a charger?
- The nurse hooked him up to an IV.
- Let’s hook up at the café and plan the trip.
- The venue hooked us up with early access and a quiet room.
Synonyms
(meet/sexual) meet up, make out, fool around, sleep with, have sex, get together, see casually
(connect/provide) connect, attach, link, plug in, rig up, set up, supply, fix up
Antonyms
(meet/sexual) abstain, remain platonic, avoid, break off
(connect/provide) disconnect, detach, unplug, deprive
Related terms
casual sex, one-night stand, friends with benefits, situationship, dating, hookup culture, consent, safer sex, contraception, connect, adapter, interface, port, utility hookup, trailer hitch
Notes and etiquette
Because hookup is ambiguous and can sound casual or braggy, choose more precise words in professional, educational, or health contexts. When the sexual sense is intended, center consent, boundaries, and safer-sex practices.
Sexopedia.co is an educational glossary of sexual and gender-related terms—helping you improve your English while deepening your understanding of identity, language, and self-expression.