plug-in

1 of 3

adjective

: designed to be connected to an electric circuit by plugging in
a plug-in toy
a plug-in circuit board

plug-in

2 of 3

noun

1
: something that plugs in
2
: a small piece of software that supplements a larger program (such as a browser)

plug in

3 of 3

verb

plugged in; plugging in; plugs in

intransitive verb

: to establish an electric circuit by inserting a plug

transitive verb

: to attach or connect to an electric receptacle (such as an outlet)

Examples of plug-in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
This setup, which is used by the current Porsche Cayenne and upcoming Audi Q9, which can accommodate a range of combustion engines and a plug-in hybrid system. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 13 Apr. 2026 The Transporter eHybrid's plug-in hybrid powertrain is more straightforward, coming in a single 229-hp spec. New Atlas, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
Using an Analog Rytm saturator and a few choice plug-ins, Luke Fenton approaches sung snippets like wet clay, endlessly moldable with a little osmosis. Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 27 Apr. 2026 Furthermore, it is expected that Great Tang EV will go up against rivals such as the Geely Galaxy M9, a large plug-in hybrid SUV that has already gained momentum with more than 11,000 deliveries in just the first two months of the year. Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for plug-in

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1922, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1946, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1903, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of plug-in was in 1903

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Plug-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plug-in. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

plug-in

1 of 2 noun
ˈpləg-ˌin
: software that adds to the capabilities of a larger program (as a browser)

plug in

2 of 2 verb
: to establish an electric circuit by inserting a plug

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