plural buy-ins
: acceptance of and willingness to actively support and participate in something (such as a proposed new plan or policy)
Without buy-in from his troops, Gruden's just another tuned-out coach.—Tim Keown
Probably the biggest challenge is to increase teacher buy-in. Some worry that Khan's methods are too untested. Others are more blunt, saying he wants to replace teachers with computers.—Kayla Webley

Examples of buy-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.
This buy-in from the Ali estate is potentially tricky, though. — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2026 And the hope is that the intensified focus will produce a stronger buy-in from a locker room filled with youngsters who are seemingly starting to gain confidence, and therefore, execute at a higher level. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 1 Nov. 2026 Updating current law would also require Senate buy-in, complicating prospects. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 Executive buy-in is crucial, says Tony Goldner, CEO of the Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). — Bella Webb, Vogue, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for buy-in

Word History

First Known Use

1991, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of buy-in was in 1991

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Buy-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buy-in. Accessed 7 Nov. 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