join

/ˈd͡ʒɔɪn/

//ˈd͡ʒɔɪn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"join" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“join” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,085 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#1,085
frequency rank, English
4
letters
4
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To connect or combine into one; to put together.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

join vs joy
50% similar
join vs Jon
50% similar
join vs jun
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for join
PropertyValue
Headwordjoin
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈd͡ʒɔɪn/
Letters4
Frequency rank#1,085
Misspellings tracked4
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “join” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). join lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for join is 4 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈd͡ʒɔɪn/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,085 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 4 likely wrong-spelling variants for join, with forms such as "jion", "jjoin", and "joinn". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "joy", "Jon", "jun", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English joinen, joynen, joignen, from Old French joindre, juindre, jungre, from Latin iungō (“join, yoke”, verb), from Proto-Indo-European *yewg- (“to join, unite”). Cognate with Old English iucian, iugian, ġeocian, ġyċċan (“to join; yoke”). Mor… The correct English form is join, spelled J-O-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To connect or combine into one; to put together.
  2. 2
    To come together; to meet.
  3. 3
    To enter into association or alliance, to unite in a common purpose.
  4. 4
    To come into the company of.
  5. 5
    To become a member of.
  6. 6
    To produce an intersection of data in two or more database tables.
  7. 7
    To unite in marriage.
  8. 8
    To enjoin upon; to command.
  9. 9
    To accept, or engage in, as a contest.

Etymology

From Middle English joinen, joynen, joignen, from Old French joindre, juindre, jungre, from Latin iungō (“join, yoke”, verb), from Proto-Indo-European *yewg- (“to join, unite”). Cognate with Old English iucian, iugian, ġeocian, ġyċċan (“to join; yoke”). More at yoke.

Synonyms

bewedconnectfayuniteaccoupleaffixassembleassociateattachbindclaspclinchcombineconglomerateconglutinateconjoinconstructcoupleentwinefixgrafthitchhookinosculateinterlinkjoinjointknitknotlinkmarrypiece togetherpiecenpinionput togethersplicewedyoke

Antonyms

detachdisconnectdisjoindivideunfasten

This word in other languages

juntar(Español)joindre(Français)verknüpfen(Deutsch)juntar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: jion,jjoin,joinn,ojin

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of join - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

jion2jjoin1joinn1ojin2
Edit distance from "join"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "join"?
"join" is spelled J-O-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈd͡ʒɔɪn/.
What does "join" mean?
As a verb, "join" means: To connect or combine into one; to put together.
What words are commonly confused with "join"?
"join" is commonly confused with "joy", "Jon", "jun". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "join"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "join" is /ˈd͡ʒɔɪn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "join"?
From Middle English joinen, joynen, joignen, from Old French joindre, juindre, jungre, from Latin iungō (“join, yoke”, verb), from Proto-Indo-European *yewg- (“to join, unite”). Cognate with Old English iucian, iugian, ġeocian, ġyċċan (“to join; y... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “join”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is J-O-I-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈd͡ʒɔɪn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “joy” - see the side-by-side comparison. join vs joy
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list