(used to indicate inclusion within space, a place, or limits).
walking in the park.
(used to indicate inclusion within something abstract or immaterial).
in politics; in the autumn.
(used to indicate inclusion within or occurrence during a period or limit of time).
in ancient times; a task done in ten minutes.
(used to indicate limitation or qualification, as of situation, condition, relation, manner, action, etc.).
to speak in a whisper; to be similar in appearance.
(used to indicate means).
sketched in ink; spoken in French.
(used to indicate motion or direction from outside to a point within) into.
Let's go in the house.
(used to indicate transition from one state to another).
to break in half.
(used to indicate object or purpose).
speaking in honor of the event.
in or into some place, position, state, relation, etc..
Please come in.
on the inside; within.
in one's house or office.
in office or power.
in possession or occupancy.
having the turn to play, as in a game.
Baseball. (of an infielder or outfielder) in a position closer to home plate than usual; short.
The third baseman played in, expecting a bunt.
on good terms; in favor.
He's in with his boss, but he doubts it will last.
Informal. in vogue; in style.
He says straw hats will be in this year.
in season.
Watermelons will soon be in.
located or situated within; inner; internal.
the in part of a mechanism.
Informal.
in favor with stylish or trendy people; currently popular: the in thing to do.
the in place to dine;
the in thing to do.
keeping up with the latest trends and fashions.
the in clique at school.
Informal. comprehensible only to a special or ultrasophisticated group.
an in joke.
well-liked; included in a favored group.
inward; incoming; inbound.
an in train.
plentiful; available.
being in power, authority, control, etc..
a member of the in party.
Golf. of or relating to the playing of the last nine holes of an eighteen-hole golf course (opposed to out).
His in score on the second round was 34.
Usually ins persons in office or political power (distinguished from outs).
a member of the political party in power.
The election made him an in.
pull or influence; a social advantage or connection.
He's got an in with the senator.
(in tennis, squash, handball, etc.) a return or service that lands within the in-bounds limits of a court or section of a court (opposed to out).
be in for, to be bound to undergo something, especially a disagreeable experience.
We are in for a long speech.
in for it, about to suffer chastisement or unpleasant consequences, especially of one's own actions or omissions: Also for it.
I forgot our anniversary again, and I'll be in for it now.
in with, on friendly terms with; familiar or associating with.
They are in with all the important people.
in that, because; inasmuch as.
In that you won't have time for supper, let me give you something now.
in; into; towards; within; on
infiltrate
immigrate
having an intensive or causative function
inflame
imperil
inside; within
no smoking in the auditorium
at a place where there is
lying in the shade
walking in the rain
indicating a state, situation, or condition
in a deep sleep
standing in silence
before or when (a period of time) has elapsed
come back in one year
using (a language, etc) as a means of communication
written in code
concerned or involved with, esp as an occupation
in journalism
expressing a ratio, proportion, or probability
one in five boys
while or by performing the action of; as a consequence of or by means of
in crossing the street he was run over
used to indicate goal or purpose
in honour of the president
(used of certain animals) about to give birth to; pregnant with (specified offspring)
in foal
in calf
a variant of into
she fell in the water
he tore the paper in two
(often foll by an infinitive) to have the ability (to do something)
informal joining in; taking part
(conjunction) because or to the extent that; inasmuch as
I regret my remark in that it upset you
no difference or interval between two things
in or into a particular place; inward or indoors
come in
bring him in
so as to achieve office, power, or authority
the Conservatives got in at the last election
so as to enclose
block in
cover in a hole
(in certain games) so as to take one's turn or one's team's turn at a certain aspect of the play; taking one's innings
you have to get the other side out before you go in
(of a fire) alight
do you keep the fire in all night?
(in combination) indicating an activity or gathering, esp one organized to protest against something
teach-in
work-in
present at (the beginning, end, etc)
between
about to be affected by (something, esp something unpleasant)
you're in for a shock
acquainted with or sharing in
I was in on all his plans
associated with; friendly with; regarded highly by
informal to wish or intend harm towards
(stressed) fashionable; modish
the in thing to do
competing
you've got to be in to win
indicating a neutral organic compound, including proteins, glucosides, and glycerides
insulin
digitoxin
tripalmitin
indicating an enzyme in certain nonsystematic names
pepsin
indicating a pharmaceutical substance
penicillin
riboflavin
aspirin
indicating a chemical substance in certain nonsystematic names
coumarin
The prefixes in- and un- may both have, among other uses, a negative force. In- is the form derived from Latin, and is therefore used in learned words or in words derived from Latin or (rarely) Greek: inaccessible, inaccuracy, inadequate, etc. Un- is the native form going back to Old English, used in words of native origin, and sometimes used in combination with words of other origins if these words are in common use: unloving, ungodly, unfeeling, unnecessary, unsafe.
First recorded before 900; 1925–30 in for def. 29; Middle English, Old English; cognate with German, Dutch, Old Frisian, Old Saxon, Gothic in, Old Norse ī, Latin in, Greek en, Lithuanian į
Middle English, Old English; see in
From Latin, combining form of in (preposition); cognate with in
< Latin; akin to an- 1, a- 6, un- 1
Middle English -in, -ine < Old French < Latin -inus, -ina, -inum < Greek -inos, -inē, -inon
< New Latin -ina. See -ine 2
When one thing is in another, it is surrounded by or within it, the way chocolate chips are in a bowl of cookie batter. In is a word with many different uses. A child can be in a sandbox, and a teenager can be in love. You can sit in your car, or say to a friend, "See you in an hour!" An actor might be in a film, while your dad tells people he's in publishing, and both live in New York City. If your clothes are in, they're stylish, and if you're locked in your room, you're confined inside it.
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Still, there have been some silver linings in Hollywood.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Wednesday’s approval “marks another significant milestone in bringing Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery together,” Makan Delrahim, Paramount’s chief legal officer said in the statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Paramount must not “directly or indirectly ... enter into any agreement or understanding with Universal to jointly co-distribute films” in the European countries for 10 years, the commission said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
European regulators added just one condition: Paramount must end a partnership with Universal Pictures to share distribution of movies in Europe.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
But Joey wants to stay where she is, looking straight ahead at a future in America.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
In an interview with NPR, Miguel Lorenzo, a senior vice president at Telemundo Deportes, stated that its viewership on the telecasts increased by 122% since the 2022 World Cup Games.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
In 2021 they were fined $2m after breaking MLS rules with the signing of France midfielder Blaise Matuidi from Juventus the previous year.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
In 2012, Motsepe made the Forbes billionaire list, making him the first black South African to reach the mark.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
In that same announcement, Arko Petroleum said it planned to pay a quarterly dividend of 50 cents going forward, “with an expected annual dividend rate of $2.00 per share.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
In 1998, one hundred and fifty years after his terrible accident, the town of Cavendish, Vermont, held a medical seminar and festival to honor Phineas Gage.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
We're talking about locking IN - the phrase you might have seen on social media or heard people saying lately.
From BBC ● Nov. 29, 2025
It also involved Teresa Femenía, a researcher at IN CSIC-UMH, who played a key role in developing the experimental work.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 8, 2025
IN 1963, Spike Lee was one member of the “first Black family in Cobble Hill.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2025
Stellantis and South Korea's Samsung SDI Co Ltd said on Wednesday they will build a second electric vehicle battery plant in Kokomo, IN, the hometown of United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain.
From Reuters ● Oct. 11, 2023
IN THE MORNING, Nim’s knee was hotter and fatter, with red lines streaking around the ooze.
From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr
Not that they''re a shoo in- there's a lot of resentment against Mr Sharif and his party, who are blamed for Pakistan's economic misery.
From BBC ● Feb. 1, 2024
Johanna Mayer: Yeah, he was 55, so they were sort of in- in their prime of their careers and their relationship.
From Scientific American ● Sep. 21, 2023
But Riley often takes mesh to another level by adding more in- or out-breaking routes at different depths.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2022
Men stepped in- to windows, and women, listening.
From New York Times ● Sep. 26, 2021
Talking to the tourists, I realize that if it weren’t for the in- digenous culture here, these foreigners wouldn’t have much reason to come to Otavalo.
From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau
"Little or no sustained growth can be expected until fiscal, debt, and -in some cases- inflation problems are addressed" by the three, the report concludes.
From Reuters ● Sep. 7, 2023
There will be a two-week winter break beginning on 22 December, during much of which players will be away from training -in contrast to England, where games are being played every few days.
From BBC ● Dec. 17, 2021
Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. said its latest blackout will start early Tuesday and affect 605,000 customers - about 1.5 million people -in 29 Northern California counties.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 29, 2019
Corbyn, -in his speech, said the referendum held a deep symbolism for voters on both sides, which went far beyond a relationship with Europe.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 10, 2019
Ensconced in such an ambush- -in fact, in the back shop—I bided my time, intending to solicit pecuniary accommodation from the barber, and studying human nature as developed in his customers.
From Old Friends, Epistolary Parody by Lang, Andrew
“They didn’t necessarily look at how many hours I put in. They were just looking at whether I was producing.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
"So if one of us was out, the other one was in. And then occasionally they would have both of us and on this particular occasion, she was away and I was at home."
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
"We shopkeepers are in a very difficult situation. Customers can no longer come in. We're forced to close for a week," he complained.
From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026
But “the most significant part of the volunteer departments is their working knowledge of the areas they live in. They know every corner. They know every face, every access point, every shortcut.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
“He was called in on an emergency surgery and he couldn’t avoid going in. She was so upset he missed it.”
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
I’ve also heard from various people telling me their whole financial picture, down to the pennies in their accounts, and the ins and outs of their divorces, estate fights and bad relationships with financial professionals.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
From there, the ins and outs of the trial are difficult to summarize.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
However, he added: "Parliament needs to actually talk about the priorities of the British people, and that is not primarily about the ins and outs of Peter Mandelson."
From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2026
But navigating the ins and outs of stories that intertwine without overstepping has required nimbleness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2026
Yes, and what he had told Dick was true: He did know the ins and outs of hunting gold, having been taught them by his father, who was a professional prospector.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
In 1622 Sir Henry Appleton, the owner of the marsh, agreed to give one-third of it to Joas Croppenburg, a Dutchman skilled in the making of dikes, if he "inned" the marsh.
From The Naturalist on the Thames by Cornish, C. J. (Charles John)
They are likewise to carry home corn, which is not inned till August and September.
From A Journal of the Swedish Embassy in the Years 1653 and 1654, Vol II. by Morton, Charles
The last landed, inned, or stowed, of any sort of merchandise: so called by the water-side porters, carmen, &c.
From 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue by Grose, Francis
One bad inning from Sheehan pushed the game into the Phillies’ favor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
But just when it seemed he’d found a groove, he gave up a momentum-swinging solo home run to Philadelphia’s Brandon Marsh in the sixth inning of the Dodgers’ 10-7 loss to the Phillies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
To lead off the fourth inning, Yamamoto surrendered a solo homer to Trent Grisham.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026
Yamamoto’s uncharacteristic sixth inning ended his streak of quality starts at five, including two that lasted eight innings or more.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
At the top of the fifth inning, we’re down three runs.
From "Fast Pitch" by Nic Stone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
