box in

verb

boxed in; boxing in; boxes in
Synonyms of box innext
: to surround (someone or something) and make movement difficult
The other bicyclists boxed her in and she couldn't move ahead.
usually used as (be) boxed in
We were boxed in and couldn't get out of our parking space.
sometimes used figuratively
I feel boxed in by all these rules.

Examples of box in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Technicians should still be able to access the unit, so it should never be fully boxed in. Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 15 June 2026 Put pillows in the living room or cardboard boxes in the yard to create a hideaway of your child's dreams. Parents, 11 June 2026 Carlos Lagrange checked another box in his transition to the bullpen at Triple-A, entering a game in the middle of an inning for the first time on Tuesday. Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 10 June 2026 Trump increasingly appears to be boxed in on a conflict that has settled into a holding pattern. Michelle L. Price, Fortune, 6 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for box in

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Cite this Entry

“Box in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/box%20in. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

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