box in
phrasal verb
boxed in; boxing in; boxes in
: 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 inWe were boxed in and couldn't get out of our parking space.
—sometimes used figurativelyI feel boxed in by all these rules.
Examples of box in in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Plaintiffs claim agents boxed in a civilian’s car and pointed a rifle inside during enforcement operations.
—
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
But dozens of Hi8 tapes wound up being stored in boxes in her home for decades.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
At one point, he was boxed in again, and officers ordered him out with guns drawn.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
The owner registered it in February 2001 and is still anonymous; the site is linked to a post office box in the Grand Caymans.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for box in
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Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
But dozens of Hi8 tapes wound up being stored in boxes in her home for decades.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
At one point, he was boxed in again, and officers ordered him out with guns drawn.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
The owner registered it in February 2001 and is still anonymous; the site is linked to a post office box in the Grand Caymans.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for box in
Cite this Entry
“Box in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/box%20in. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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