- Primarily means to engage in casual sexual activity, ranging from making out to intercourse, typically without expectations of commitment or a serious relationship.
- Less commonly, and potentially confusingly, can mean to meet or connect with someone platonically. The sexual meaning is dominant, especially among younger people.
Explanation
Origin
- Hook has long associations with catching or connecting. Hook up initially meant connect or meet (e.g., hooking up trailer to a car, hooking up with friends).
- The sexual connotation gained prominence from the 1980s/90s onward, particularly in youth and college culture in North America.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal (Sexual):
- Get laid
- Score
- Bang (Vulgar)
- Smash (Vulgar)
- Get down (Older slang)
- Hit that (Vulgar)
- Netflix and chill (Euphemism for inviting over for sex)
- Shag (UK/Aus)
- Pull (UK/Aus succeed in attracting someone, often leads to sex)
- Get with someone (UK)
Milder (Sexual):
- Were intimate
- Became involved
Explicitly Non-Sexual:
- Meet up
- Hang out
- Connect with
- Rendezvous (Slightly more formal/playful meet-up)
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal. The sexual meaning is very casual and often inappropriate for formal/professional settings.
- The non-sexual meaning (meet up) is also informal but carries high risk of misunderstanding due to the dominant sexual connotation. Safer to use alternatives like meet up or connect.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Significant potential for confusion between sexual and non-sexual meanings. Assume the sexual meaning is likely intended in social contexts unless context strongly dictates otherwise (e.g., technical usage). Best to clarify if unsure or use a less ambiguous term like meet up for non-sexual plans.
Examples
- (Sexual) I heard they hooked up at the party.
- (Sexual) He's on dating apps just looking to hook up.
- (Non-sexual use cautiously) Let's hook up after work for a drink. (Can be easily misunderstood).
- (Technical) We need to hook up the microphone to the speaker. (Clear context).
Dialogue
Jess: Did you see Liam leave with Olivia last night?
Kim: Yeah! Did they hook up?
Jess: I think so. He wasn't answering texts this morning.
Kim: Interesting! Wonder if it's just a one-time thing.
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Navigating the difference between 'dating' and 'just hooking up' in your 20s is a mess. #datinglife #casual
- Reddit Thread Title: Is it possible to hook up with someone regularly without catching feelings?
- Text: Hey, u free later? Wanna hook up? (Ambiguity depends heavily on prior relationship/context).
Response Patterns
- (To gossip) Surprise/Interest: No way! Really? / Just hooked up, or is it more?
- (To proposition) Acceptance: Yeah, okay. / Rejection: No thanks, not looking for that. / Clarification: Do you mean hang out as friends, or...?
- (Describing own action) Casualness: We just hooked up. No big deal.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
- (Gossip) Questions about details or implications: What happened? / Will they see each other again?
- (Arrangement) Clarifying expectations: So, just casual, right?
- (Non-sexual use) May require explicit clarification to avoid awkwardness.
Conversation Starter
- No. Usually part of an ongoing conversation, gossip, or a direct proposition. Not a general opener.
Intonation
- Usually neutral or casual when reporting; can be suggestive when proposing. Emphasis on hooked up. They HOOKED UP.
Generation Differences
- Sexual meaning is dominant and widely understood among Millennials and Gen Z. Older generations may be more familiar with the non-sexual meet up meaning, increasing confusion potential. Gen X generally understands both.
Regional Variations
- Strong sexual connotation is primarily North American. In UK/Aus, hook up might still sometimes mean start dating or meet up, though the US meaning is spreading via media. UK/Aus alternatives: pull, get with, shag.