To join means to connect things together or to become part of a group. When you join two pieces of wood with glue, you attach them so they work as one piece. When you join a soccer team, you become a member who practices and plays with everyone else.

The word appears everywhere in daily life. You might join your friends at lunch, meaning you sit with them. A river joins the ocean where fresh water meets salt water. In woodworking, a craftsperson carefully joins boards at their edges to build furniture. When you join forces with classmates on a group project, you combine your different skills and ideas.

Join suggests more than just being near something. It means actual connection or participation. Standing outside a game isn't the same as joining in. Watching a club meet isn't the same as joining it. The word implies commitment: when you join something, you're choosing to be part of it, whether that's a conversation, an activity, or an organization.

You can also use join to talk about paths or boundaries coming together. Where two property lines join, neighbors' yards meet. Where hallways join, you find an intersection. The word captures that moment or place where separate things come together and connect.