in case
Idioms-
Also, just in case . If it should happen that. For example, In case he doesn't show up, we have a backup speaker . The variant also is used without a following clause to mean simply “as a precaution,” as in I took an umbrella just in case . [c. 1400]
-
in case of ; in the event of . If there should happen to be. For example, Here is a number to call in case of an emergency , or In the event of a power failure, we'll have to shift our plans . Similarly, in that case means “if that should happen,” as in You're alone in the store? In that case I'll bring your lunch . The first usage dates from the early 1700s, the second (with event ) from about 1600, and the third from the mid-1800s. Also see in any case ; in no case ; in the case of .
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.
She said she was carrying a mask in case the smoke situation in the city became worse.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
It’s less jarring than “I want you close in case of an emergency.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
Financial experts typically say Americans should have enough to cover three to six months’ worth of basic living expenses set aside in a high-yield savings account in case of unexpected expenses or a job loss.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
He has been given an emergency police number to call in case he feels threatened.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
Eddie gets out of surgery, but they don’t want to rush her waking, in case there are problems from her hitting her head.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
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.
