hookup.
A casual sexual encounter or relationship; also a connection in nonsexual contexts. The exact activity is not specified by the word alone.
What does hookup mean?
In adult relationship vocabulary, a hookup is a brief sexual encounter or relationship. The noun can also refer to a sexual partner. It does not provide a precise account of what happened between people.
Hookup also has an ordinary connection sense. A technical discussion about a cable hookup or a campsite hookup need not concern a relationship at all. The joined noun hookup and hyphenated hook-up should also be distinguished from the separate verb phrase hook up in a sentence.
See how it lands.
Original examples written for this entry, not quotations from the sources.
They said it was a hookup, not the start of a relationship.
The campsite includes an electrical hookup.
The right word.
The right moment.
Use the intended sense and let the surrounding sentence establish it. If precision matters, describe the relationship or connection in plain language.
Avoid assuming a specific sexual activity, a person’s motives or their agreement from the word alone. Do not sexualize an unrelated technical connection.
Not quite the same as…
one-night stand
A one-night stand emphasizes a single encounter without immediate expectations of an ongoing relationship. Hookup is broader and does not necessarily carry that exact time frame.
A little backstory.
The linked reference documents this meaning. This entry does not establish a single inventor or a first-use date; a dictionary record and a current popularity measurement answer different questions.
Supported by Wiktionary contributors
Still wondering?
Does hookup always mean sex?
No. Connection is another ordinary meaning. Even in an adult context, the word does not give a detailed description of the encounter.
Are hookup and hook up written the same way?
Hookup is the noun used here. Hook up is a verb phrase; the sentence structure helps identify which form is intended.
Sources & checks
Meaning and factual notes are informed by the references below. Examples and usage advice are original editorial writing. A source documents use; it does not measure current popularity.
- hookup — meaning and usage ↗Wiktionary contributors · checked 20 Oct 2026Supports: meaning; distinct senses