Coupling — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈkə-pliŋ/ cou·pling

Meaning & Definition of Coupling

Coupling (noun)

  1. the act of bringing or coming together, pairing; specifically, sexual union
  2. a device that serves to connect the ends of adjacent parts or objects
  3. the joining of or the part of the body that joins the hindquarters to the forequarters of a quadruped

Coupling (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a place where two or more things are united

    "the coupling between two train cars"

    similar: connection, join, joining, joint, jointure, junction, juncture
    related: link, nexus, tie, interconnection, intersection, abutment, articulation, attachment, seam, suture, concourse, confluence, meeting, union
    near: cleft, crack, crevice, fissure, gap, rift, separation

  2. the act or an instance of joining two or more things into one

    "credited with the coupling of several existing ideas into a single thesis"

    similar: combination, combining, connecting, connection, consolidation, junction, linking, merger, merging, unification, union
    related: agglomeration, amalgamation, blend, coalescence, commingling, compounding, fusion, intermingling, intermixture, mingling, mix, mixture, synthesis, reunification, reunion
    opposite: breakup, disconnection, dissolution, disunion, division, parting, partition, schism, scission, split
    near: detachment, divorcement, separation, severance

  3. sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis

    "the zoo announced that the giant pandas' most recent coupling was successful and that a cub was expected in March"

    similar: coition, coitus, commerce, congress, copulating, copulation, intercourse, lovemaking, mating, relations, sex, sex act, sexual intercourse, sexual relations, getting it on, making love
    related: fornication, safe sex, carnality, sexuality, breeding, insemination, dalliance, hanky-panky, whoopee

Coupling (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to come together to form a single unit

    "at Pittsburgh, the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers couple to form the Ohio"

    similar: associating, coalescing, combining, conjoining, conjugating, connecting, fusing, interfusing, joining, linking (up), marrying, unifying, uniting
    related: mating, yoking, allying, confederating, leaguing, chaining, compounding, hitching, hooking, splicing, assembling, clustering, congregating, constellating, convening, gathering, meeting, recombining, reconnecting, rejoining, reunifying, reuniting
    opposite: breaking up, dissevering, parting, sectioning, separating, severing, splitting, sundering, unlinking
    near: detaching, disaffiliating, disconnecting, disjoining, disjointing, dissociating, disuniting, dividing, divorcing, fractionating, isolating, resolving, uncoupling, unyoking, disbanding, dispersing, scattering

  2. to put or bring together so as to form a new and longer whole

    "if you couple the two extension cords, the connection should be long enough to reach the next room"

    similar: catenating, chaining, compounding, concatenating, conjugating, connecting, hitching, hooking, interconnecting, interlinking, joining, linking, yoking
    related: articulating, dovetailing, integrating, interlocking, intermeshing, cording, stringing, wiring, cementing, coalescing, combining, fusing, uniting, welding
    opposite: disconnecting, disjoining, disjointing, dissevering, disuniting, separating, unchaining, uncoupling, unhitching, unlinking, unyoking
    near: detaching, disengaging, dividing, parting, splitting, cleaving, rupturing, severing, sundering

Related Entry: Couple (verb)

Couple is a different word from Coupling. The synonyms below are for couple, not for coupling.

  1. to come together to form a single unit

    "at Pittsburgh, the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers couple to form the Ohio"

    similar: associate, coalesce, combine, conjoin, conjugate, connect, fuse, interfuse, join, link (up), marry, unify, unite
    related: mate, yoke, ally, confederate, league, chain, compound, hitch, hook, splice, assemble, cluster, congregate, constellate, convene, gather, meet, recombine, reconnect, rejoin, reunify, reunite
    opposite: break up, dissever, part, section, separate, sever, split, sunder, unlink
    near: detach, disaffiliate, disconnect, disjoin, disjoint, dissociate, disunite, divide, divorce, fractionate, isolate, resolve, uncouple, unyoke, disband, disperse, scatter

  2. to put or bring together so as to form a new and longer whole

    "if you couple the two extension cords, the connection should be long enough to reach the next room"

    similar: catenate, chain, compound, concatenate, conjugate, connect, hitch, hook, interconnect, interlink, join, link, yoke
    related: articulate, dovetail, integrate, interlock, intermesh, cord, string, wire, cement, coalesce, combine, fuse, unite, weld
    opposite: disconnect, disjoin, disjoint, dissever, disunite, separate, unchain, uncouple, unhitch, unlink, unyoke
    near: detach, disengage, divide, part, split, cleave, rupture, sever, sunder

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Coupling

The most common words with a similar meaning to Coupling:

connection, join, joining, joint, jointure, junction, juncture, combination, combining, connecting, consolidation, linking, merger, merging, unification, union, coition, coitus, commerce, congress, copulating, copulation, intercourse, lovemaking, mating, relations, sex, sex act, sexual intercourse, sexual relations, getting it on, making love, associating, coalescing, conjoining, conjugating, fusing, interfusing, linking (up), marrying

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Coupling

Words with the opposite meaning of Coupling:

breakup, disconnection, dissolution, disunion, division, parting, partition, schism, scission, split, breaking up, dissevering, sectioning, separating, severing, splitting, sundering, unlinking, disconnecting, disjoining, disjointing, disuniting, unchaining, uncoupling, unhitching, unyoking

Related Words for Coupling

link, nexus, tie, interconnection, intersection, abutment, articulation, attachment, seam, suture, concourse, confluence, meeting, agglomeration, amalgamation, blend, coalescence, commingling, fusion, intermingling, intermixture, mingling, mix, mixture, synthesis, reunification, reunion, fornication, safe sex, carnality

Near Antonyms of Coupling

cleft, crack, crevice, fissure, gap, rift, separation, detachment, divorcement, severance, detaching, disaffiliating, dissociating, dividing, divorcing, fractionating, isolating, resolving, disbanding, dispersing, scattering, disengaging, cleaving, rupturing

Origin & Etymology of Coupling

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Coupling

What does "Coupling" mean?

"Coupling" means the act of bringing or coming together, pairing; specifically, sexual union. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: the act of bringing or coming together, pairing; specifically, sexual union. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Coupling"?

Other words for "Coupling" include connection, join, joining, joint, jointure, junction, juncture and combination. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Coupling" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Coupling"?

There are 112 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Coupling". Common alternatives include connection, join, joining, joint, jointure, junction, juncture, combination, combining and connecting.

What is the opposite of "Coupling"?

Antonyms of "Coupling" include breakup, disconnection, dissolution, disunion, division, parting, partition and schism. Near antonyms include cleft, crack, crevice and fissure.

How do you use "Coupling" in a sentence?

Examples of "Coupling" in a sentence: "the coupling between two train cars"; "credited with the coupling of several existing ideas into a single thesis"; "the zoo announced that the giant pandas' most recent coupling was successful and that a cub was expected in March".

Is "Coupling" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Coupling" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Coupling"?

"Coupling" is pronounced /ˈkə-pliŋ/ and divided into syllables as cou·pling.

What is the origin of the word "Coupling"?

First known use: 14th century.