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• check-in
  check-in

  noun

  the act or fact of checking in.
• check in
  check in

  verb

  (intr) to record one's arrival, as at a hotel or for work; sign in or report

check-in

American  

[chek-in] / ˈtʃɛkˌɪn /

noun

1. the act or fact of checking in.

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check in British  

verb

1. (intr) to record one's arrival, as at a hotel or for work; sign in or report

2. (tr) to register the arrival of (passengers, etc)

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noun

1. 1. the formal registration of arrival, as at an airport or a hotel

   2. ( as modifier )

      check-in time

2. the place where one registers arrival at an airport, etc

check in Idioms  

1. Record one's arrival at a hotel, conference, or other function, as in I asked the hotel if we could check in early . [Early 1900s] Also see check into , def. 2.

2. Die, as in With the plane rapidly losing fuel, the pilot was sure he'd check in . [ Slang ; early 1900s] Also see check out .

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Etymology

Origin of check-in

First recorded in 1915–20; noun use of verb phrase check in

Example Sentences

"To get him right to the check-in desk and then be turned away was just heartbreaking for the poor kid. It was absolutely horrendous."

From BBC • May 26, 2026

The salvo caused disruptions in air traffic, with flights canceled and long lines for check-in and luggage retrieval at Moscow’s airports.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

After Urbina told local and federal authorities she had been tricked out of her day in court, Immigration and Customs Enforcement switched her scheduled December virtual check-in to an in-person meeting.

From Salon • May 2, 2026

On May 20, 2025, about a month before his scheduled check-in with ICE, officers arrested him at his home in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

Up ahead, we could see the check-in point for our Havana charter flight.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French