: allowing listeners to engage in broadcast telephone conversations with the host or a guest
a call-in show
called in; calling in; calls in
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
: to communicate with a person by telephone
see also:
Examples of call-in in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Philiana Ng, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026
In December, during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annual call-in show, a war reporter for the Kremlin’s main propaganda channel asked why the military had failed to develop its own version of this weapon after nearly four years of war.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
Though a strike was called in February, the parties have been negotiating a deal since September, following the staff’s organization with the Pacific Northwest Staff Union last spring.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 10 May 2026
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Adjective
Rockwell remembers learning how to make a phone call during the early Idol seasons, when finalists had dedicated call-in numbers, and still prefers casting votes through more traditional avenues, like texting.
—Philiana Ng, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026
In December, during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annual call-in show, a war reporter for the Kremlin’s main propaganda channel asked why the military had failed to develop its own version of this weapon after nearly four years of war.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
Such is the case with Elliott, a former correspondent for Cahiers du Cinéma, who got a call in 2010.
—Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
Though a strike was called in February, the parties have been negotiating a deal since September, following the staff’s organization with the Pacific Northwest Staff Union last spring.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 10 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for call-in
Cite this Entry
“Call-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/call-in. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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