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• phone-in
  phone-in

  noun

  call in.
• phone in
  phone in

  verb

  (intr) to make a telephone call to deliver information (esp to a broadcasting studio or place of work)

phone-in

American  

[fohn-in] / ˈfoʊnˌɪn /

noun

1. call in.

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phone-in ¹ British  

noun

1. 1. a radio or television programme in which listeners' or viewers' questions, comments, etc, are telephoned to the studio and broadcast live

   2. ( as modifier )

      a phone-in discussion

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phone in ² British  

verb

1. (intr) to make a telephone call to deliver information (esp to a broadcasting studio or place of work)

2. slang (tr) to deliver (a performance) in a perfunctory manner

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Etymology

Origin of phone-in

First recorded in 1965–70; noun, adj. use of verb phrase phone in

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

phone-in phone in

His BBC work also included Panorama, Assignment, Correspondent, as well as a phone-in programme on Radio 4, Call Ed Stourton.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

Greater Manchester's mayor has pulled out of his regular phone-in slot amid speculation he is preparing to launch a bid to return to Westminster and challenge for the Labour leadership.

From BBC ● May 14, 2026

Burnham has pulled out of his regular phone-in radio slot on BBC Radio Manchester on Thursday, as speculation mounted over a potential challenge to Sir Keir's leadership.

From BBC ● May 13, 2026

Take Nigel Farage, leader of the populist party Reform UK, who has known Trump for close to a decade, hosted him on his phone-in radio show and visited him in the Oval Office.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 22, 2026

In the early 1990s, Hayes hosted BBC Radio 2's breakfast show for a year - ultimately being replaced by Terry Wogan - then moved to the Sony Award-winning weekly phone-in, Hayes Over Britain.

From BBC ● Dec. 1, 2025

Earlier this month, he took out his phone in the middle of a five-mile run along the San Francisco Bay and typed a simple prompt:

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

Won’t you be able to see who or what pinged you when you pick up the phone in a few minutes any way out of habit?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

It holds your phone in exactly the right position, ensuring every photo is taken from the same angle.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

So my wife and I built our wind phone in Joshua Tree, in honor of our kids.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

Before Chip could answer, the phone in his hand began to ring, blaring a Fall Out Boy tune.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix