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in for

Idioms  

  1. Guaranteed to get or have, as in We're in for a difficult time . [Late 1500s]

  2. in for it . Certain to encounter trouble or punishment, as in When Harry finds out we left early, we'll be in for it . [Late 1600s]

  3. Involved or entered for some purpose, as in We're in for the profits . [Mid-1800s] Also see have it in for ; in for a penny .

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.

"Once she had carers coming in three times a day that came in for like half an hour, but she actually needed more support than that."

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

Back in Iran, a sense of the inevitable had begun to sink in for many there.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

The results were released by the interior ministry but still need to be validated by judges on the constitutional council before Guelleh can be sworn in for another five-year term.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Others including Skrillex, Odesza, Rüfüs du Sol and Billie Eilish are among the superstars who have popped in for surprise sets, cementing the stage’s legacy within Coachella’s lore.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

They watched the gaslights go dim in several rooms, indicating that the occupants were settling in for the night.

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson

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.