call-in

1 of 2

adjective

ˈkȯl-ˌin 

: 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

see also call in sick

Examples of call-in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The defendant is a SAVE KC client, but did not attend a call-in. —Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2026

What started in 1994 as a call-in line for people to share their random opinions became the kind of column that people think fondly of decades later. —Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 1 Jan. 2026

Verb

Robby and Al-Hashimi give her the go-ahead to call in social services, which means this whole thing is about to get messy. —Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026

The chat was about Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price’s new book, An Amazing Generation, and Harry and Meghan called in from their Montecito, California home. —Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 8 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1952, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for call-in

• akin
• auxin
• buckskin
• chagrin
• deerskin
• foreskin
• fuchsin
• herein
• kingpin
• linchpin
• pigskin
• pinyin

Legal Definition

call in

transitive verb

: call sense 4