communications

communications — noun

1. the systems, equipment, and industry used for sending messages over long distanc

1.名詞B2
釋義

the systems, equipment, and industry used for sending messages over long distances by phone, internet, radio, or satellite.

例句

Aoi works for a large communications company that sells phone and internet plans.

noun + noun: communications company

The storm knocked out communications across three islands for almost a week.

knock out / lose communications: when systems stop working

同義詞
  • telecommunications

    more formal; same field but emphasizes electronic distance

  • media

    broader — also covers TV, press, and broadcasting content, not just the infrastructure

文法句型

communications + technology/network/satellite

in communications

用法筆記

Almost always plural. Often forms compound nouns (communications network, communications satellite, communications industry). Distinguish from sense 4 (rapport): this sense is about technology and infrastructure, not how well two people understand each other.

常見錯誤

❌I study communication technology at university' (when meaning the field of phones and networks).
✅I study communications at university.
💡use the plural for the industry/field; singular 'communication' is the act of exchanging information.

2. letters, emails, phone calls, and other messages passed between people or groups

2.名詞B2
釋義

letters, emails, phone calls, and other messages passed between people or groups, usually as a body of correspondence.

例句

Police have asked the bank to share all communications between the two managers.

communications between [people]

Ari kept every email, letter, and text — over six months of communications with the landlord.

同義詞
  • correspondence

    very close synonym; slightly more formal and usually written

  • messages

    more everyday; less formal than communications

  • exchanges

    emphasises the back-and-forth nature

文法句型

communications between [parties]

communications from/to someone

all communications

用法筆記

Always plural with this sense; refers to the collection of messages as evidence, record, or correspondence, not to one individual message. Common in legal, business, and journalistic writing.

常見錯誤

❌She sent a communications to her boss.
✅She sent a communication to her boss.
💡use singular 'communication' for one message; 'communications' is the plural set or category.

3. the academic subject that studies how people, organisations, and the media send

3.名詞B2
釋義

the academic subject that studies how people, organisations, and the media send and receive messages effectively.

例句

Brooke is in her final year of communications at a city college.

The university offers communications as a four-year degree with a focus on digital media.

communications as a degree

同義詞
  • media studies

    overlapping field; emphasises analysing mass media rather than producing messages

  • journalism

    narrower — focuses on news writing and reporting only

文法句型

study/major in communications

a degree in communications

communications major

用法筆記

When naming the academic field, the plural form takes singular agreement ('communications is a popular major'). Distinguish from sense 1 (technology industry) by context: a 'communications major' studies messaging theory, while a 'communications engineer' designs networks.

常見錯誤

❌She majored in communication and now works for the BBC.' (when she studied the field)
✅She majored in communications and now works for the BBC.
💡the academic subject is conventionally plural in American English universities.

4. the friendly working relationship and easy exchange of ideas that exists between

4.名詞C1
釋義

the friendly working relationship and easy exchange of ideas that exists between two people, teams, or organisations who trust each other.

例句

Communications between the teachers and the parents have improved a lot this year.

communications between [groups]: the working relationship

Lukas felt that open communications with his team were more important than strict rules.

open communications: built on trust

同義詞
  • rapport

    very close; emphasises the warm feeling, often between two individuals

  • understanding

    broader; includes shared knowledge as well as ease of talking

反義詞
  • miscommunication

    highlights specific failures rather than the absent relationship

文法句型

communications between [people/groups]

open / poor communications

用法筆記

Subject is usually a relationship between named groups or people; the focus is on quality of the relationship, not on the messages themselves (sense 2). Often paired with evaluative adjectives like 'open', 'honest', 'poor', or 'strained'.

常見錯誤

❌They have a good communication.' (when describing the relationship)
✅They have good communications.
💡use the plural for an ongoing rapport between people or groups; singular suggests a single act.