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.
And I think it's just the line that you take, which is the same line we've all taken for years, where you come in, you kind of cut part of the white line.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
Most payments will come in the form of sensitive military technology, weapons parts or other materials, the think tank estimates.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
“Now, I’m just like, ‘You come in, you try to remember which kid has what sport or who you’re picking up.’
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
"During the regular season, you've got people who just come into games, it's a thing to do. Tourists come in," Swann said.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
More texts come in, too, from the rest of our family, but I silence my phone.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
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.
