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.
The smell of sweet milk hung in the air, mixed with the earthy musk of manure.
From Salon • Jun. 22, 2026
The virus can spread through coughing and sneezing — hanging in the air and living on surfaces for hours after an infected person has left a room.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026
"It's all up in the air whether we are going to get those jobs."
From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026
Israeli pilots learned to recognize the voices of their American counterparts refueling them in the air, pilots said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026
“Let’s go, team,” Jonah muttered under his breath, because the tone of Katherine’s words made them sound like they should be accompanied by cartwheels and splits and arms thrown victoriously up in the air.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
