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
The Fed is boxed in by stubborn inflation, a slowing rhythm in growth, and political crosscurrents that tilt relentlessly toward easing, even as the scoreboard still flashes above-target CPI.
—
Bob Haber, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
In March of 2025, a woman was found dead in a burning clothing bin in upstate New York, and in June of 2025, a woman was found dead in a clothing donation box in Florida.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
The trooper then reportedly boxed in the vehicle to prevent the driver from fleeing.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2025
Roberto Reyes had barely left his Fontana, California, apartment and was just a block down the road on his way to work when four white cars swarmed him, boxing in his vehicle.
—Graham Hurley, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for box in
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Bob Haber, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
In March of 2025, a woman was found dead in a burning clothing bin in upstate New York, and in June of 2025, a woman was found dead in a clothing donation box in Florida.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
The trooper then reportedly boxed in the vehicle to prevent the driver from fleeing.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2025
Roberto Reyes had barely left his Fontana, California, apartment and was just a block down the road on his way to work when four white cars swarmed him, boxing in his vehicle.
—Graham Hurley, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2025
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 22 Aug. 2025.
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