go online
/ˌɡəʊ ˈɒn.laɪn/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To start using the internet or connect a device to the internet. It can also mean to start a website, service, or post on the internet.
- I go online every morning to check my emails.
- The new store will go online next week.
- Please go online and update your profile.
Adinary Nuance
Go online is the everyday phrase for starting internet use or making something available on the internet. It is simpler and more common than connect to the internet, which sounds a little more technical. It is also different from log in, which means entering an account after you are already online.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- lên mạng
- Spanish
- conectarse a internet
- Chinese
- 上网
- Japanese
- インターネットに接続する
- Korean
- 온라인에 접속하다
Etymology
This phrase became common in the late 20th century, when the internet became part of daily life. It combines go with online, a word that originally described being connected to a computer network.
Common phrases
go onlinego online to do somethinggo online with a websitego online for shopping
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is go online the same as log in?
- Not exactly. Go online means start using the internet. Log in means enter your account after you are online.
- Is go online formal or informal?
- It is neutral and common in everyday English. It works in speech, writing, and business contexts.
- Can I say a website goes online?
- Yes. It means the website becomes available on the internet.
- Do people still use go online often?
- Yes. It is still a very common phrase, especially in spoken English.