come in
Britishverb
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to enter, used in the imperative when admitting a person
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to prove to be
it came in useful
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to become fashionable or seasonable
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cricket to begin an innings
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sport to finish a race (in a certain position)
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(of a politician or political party) to win an election
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radio television to be received
news is coming in of a big fire in Glasgow
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(of money) to be received as income
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to play a role; advance one's interests
where do I come in?
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(foll by for) to be the object of
the Chancellor came in for a lot of criticism in the Commons
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Arrive, become available for use or begin to produce, as in Has the new fall line come in yet? or The latest reports are coming in now , or This well has just begun to come in . [Late 1800s]
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Also, come in on . Join an enterprise, as in Do you want to come in on our venture? [Mid-1800s]
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Be one of those who finish a contest or race, as in My horse came in last . [Late 1800s]
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Perform or function, as in This mixer comes in very handy , or Where does my department come in? [Late 1800s] Also see come in handy .
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Enter into an account, issue, or list, as in Where does this question come in? or Please explain where in this long process I come in . This usage dates from Shakespeare's time and appears in The Tempest (2:1): “Widow? A pox on that! How came that widow in?” Also see subsequent entries beginning with come in ; come into ; this is where I came in .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“If China wanted to come in, and open a plant to build their cars here, I’d be OK with it. Japan does it—but they hire our people,” Trump said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
These come in a year when Tesla’s stock has meaningfully lagged behind the market.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
A ceremony for the attack’s 25th anniversary was starting, and he had come in quietly, head down, free from the fanfare that usually follows the surging Senate candidate.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
"In that case the dugongs could come in and stop everything for weeks at a time. I don't think that is realistic."
From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026
Her granddaughter Enyonam would knock on our door and come in with a basket on her head or over her arm.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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.
