box in

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 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

For about four decades, a 1930 Georgia O’Keeffe landscape painting was stashed inside a box in the closet of a Manhattan apartment. — Sydney Page, Washington Post, 6 Nov. 2026

Teyana Taylor managed to tick both boxes in an architectural Nicholas Oakwell Couture pantsuit, festooned with a giant bow below the waist. — Danielle Naer, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2026

Magnetic Dryer Sheet Holder Losing your dryer sheet box in the back of the laundry cabinet can be frustrating and waste time. — Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2026

To find the drop box in your community, see the full list on the Secretary of State's website. — Matt Schooley, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026

Rhymes for box in

• coxon
• oxen
• tocsin
• toxin
• aflatoxin
• antitoxin
• digitoxin
• endotoxin
• exotoxin
• ferredoxin
• mycotoxin
• neurotoxin