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
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.
In the 9th inning, McGraw is hit for the last time and sits down in the batter’s box in protest. Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026 Anne Hong stocks her Trinket Trade box in the Arts District Los Angeles. Laurie Perez, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026 Not by design, and not in any cooperative sense, but as a rival that kept Tehran boxed in. Andrew Latham, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026 Her parents’ remains were in a USPS box in the living room. Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for box in

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Box in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/box%20in. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster