call-in

1 of 2

adjective

: allowing listeners to engage in broadcast telephone conversations with the host or a guest
a call-in show

call in

2 of 2

verb

called in; calling in; calls in

transitive verb

1
: to order to return or to be returned: such as
a
: to withdraw from an advanced position
call in the outposts
b
: to withdraw from circulation
call in bank notes and issue new ones
2
: to summon to one's aid or for consultation
call in a mediator
3
: to deliver (a message) by telephone
call in an order for pizza

intransitive verb

: to communicate with a person by telephone
Phrases
call in sick
: to report by telephone that one will be absent because of illness

Examples of call-in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
But by the time the audit was being conducted last year, the Oakland Police Department had begun picking up the slack, holding five call-in meetings in 2022, up from just one in 2020 and three in 2021, the years that COVID-19 was at its worst. Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 In 2016, the alt-comic cable talk show The Chris Gethard Show engineered a strange form of call-in game show. David Sims, The Atlantic, 29 Feb. 2024 The 7-foot-2 center got a vote of confidence from Calipari on Calipari's call-in show Monday. Kevin Skiver, The Courier-Journal, 16 Jan. 2024 Russia will win war in Ukraine, Putin tells news conference and call-in show A 26-year-old woman from a small Russian city, with a young son, felt as though society was cracking apart when her husband was mobilized on Oct. 26, 2022. Natalia Abbakumova, Washington Post, 28 Dec. 2023 Russia will win war in Ukraine, Putin tells news conference and call-in show As supporters worry about Navalny and Gorinov, Putin’s powerful propaganda machine is operating at full blast in the run-up to an election designed to boost the legitimacy of his war on Ukraine. Robyn Dixon, Washington Post, 19 Dec. 2023 Some pediatricians have a specific call-in period each day. Parents Editors, Parents, 9 Oct. 2023 Amp featured live and call-in style shows hosted by major artists including Nicki Minaj, Pusha T, Lil Yachty, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, and others. Evan Minsker, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2023 The film’s narrative arc revolves around a call-in radio show. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 1 Sep. 2023
Verb
Both cast members are called in for questioning when one of their cast members on the fictional reality series is found dead. Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024 That is a crime under N.C. law, so Sheriff Eddie Cathey called in the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to investigate the claim, according to the sheriff’s office. Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 22 Mar. 2024 When her secret lover Jason (Koji) is assassinated, her spymaster, the enigmatic Reed (Lancashire), calls in Helen’s old friend Sam (Whishaw) to keep her safe. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024 The relatives who the man allegedly threatened fled the home, but the suspect remained inside and refused to comply with officers’ orders to exit and give himself up, leading police to call in special weapons and tactics team. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2024 The Goldman Sachs chief economist made a name for himself by making the opposite call in 2008, warning that toxic mortgages would ignite a recession. Matt Egan, CNN, 19 Mar. 2024 Morrill was well versed in his family history even before a genealogist working for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) came calling in 2021. Giuseppe Ricapito, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024 Since 2015, calls for service in Grafton have increased by 86% while emergency calls in Saukville jumped by 53%. Claudia Levens, Journal Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2024 Newsom certainly got a wake-up call in last week’s primary election when his pet Proposition 1 fared much more poorly than expected. George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'call-in.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1952, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of call-in was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near call-in

Cite this Entry

“Call-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/call-in. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Legal Definition

call in

transitive verb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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