in the air
Idioms-
In addition to the following idiom, also see castles in the air; leave hanging (in the air); nose in the air; up in the air.
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In circulation, in people's thoughts. For example, There's a rumor in the air that they're closing , or Christmas is in the air . [Second half of 1800s] Also see in the wind .
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See up in the air . [Mid-1700s]
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.
"We can't reach our homes... We come here, breathe in the air of our village, then leave," he told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
Smoke still hangs in the air, although it is easier to breathe than the previous evening, when the acrid smell of fire spread across Bordeaux.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
Along some streets, flies gather near fruit-bearing trees or on parked cars, making it difficult to pass through without swatting at dozens of them in the air.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
If Iran was to be defeated or driven to the negotiating table, the battles would need to be won in the air and at sea, U.S. officials have said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
I fall backward and he flops over, landing in my lap, legs in the air, belly exposed for rubbing.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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.
