Synonyms

inbound

American

[in-bound] / ˈɪnˈbaʊnd /

adjective

inward bound.

inbound ships.

inbound British

/ ˈɪnˌbaʊnd /

adjective

coming in; inward bound

an inbound ship

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of inbound

First recorded in 1890–95; in- ¹ + -bound ²

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.

On April 7, the day before the cease-fire was announced, 11 vessels transited the strait—four inbound and seven outbound—down from more than 100 a day before the war, according to Windward, a maritime AI company.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Doncic had just been called for an offensive foul while the Lakers were attempting to inbound the ball.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

The British-Dutch company confirmed the news on Friday following media speculation that it had received an inbound offer for its “highly attractive” food unit, which includes brands such as Marmite, Knorr and Hellmann’s.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 20, 2026

According to the aeronautical data provider Cirium, at least 1,560 inbound flights to the Middle East out of 3,779 were cancelled on Monday.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

“The ships were all westbound, all inbound for Cuba,” McCone said.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023