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 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
Trump increasingly appears to be boxed in on a conflict that has settled into a holding pattern.
—
Michelle L. Price, Fortune, 6 June 2026
Police found the girl under a pile of clothes inside a box in the couple’s bedroom.
—Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 3 June 2026
Smith’s best throw of the day came during seven-on-seven, when Cooper was boxed in by a defensive back in front and behind him, but Smith still managed to get the ball to him over the outstretched arms of the defensive back in front of Cooper.
—Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 3 June 2026
During Shark Summer, proceeds collected in a donation box in the aquarium’s Galleria will benefit the SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) Shark and Ray program.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for box in
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Michelle L. Price, Fortune, 6 June 2026
Police found the girl under a pile of clothes inside a box in the couple’s bedroom.
—Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 3 June 2026
Smith’s best throw of the day came during seven-on-seven, when Cooper was boxed in by a defensive back in front and behind him, but Smith still managed to get the ball to him over the outstretched arms of the defensive back in front of Cooper.
—Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 3 June 2026
During Shark Summer, proceeds collected in a donation box in the aquarium’s Galleria will benefit the SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) Shark and Ray program.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 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 13 Jun. 2026.
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