in

preposition

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\ ˈin

, ən, ᵊn \

Definition of in

(Entry 1 of 11)

1a —used as a function word to indicate inclusion, location, or position within limits in the lakewounded in the legin the summer

b : into sense 1 went in the house

2 —used as a function word to indicate means, medium, or instrumentality written in pencilbound in leather

3a —used as a function word to indicate limitation, qualification, or circumstance alike in some respectsleft in a hurry

b : into sense 4a broke in pieces

4 —used as a function word to indicate purpose said in reply

5 —used as a function word to indicate the larger member of a ratio one in six is eligible

adverb

\ ˈin

Definition of in (Entry 2 of 11)

1a(1) : to or toward the inside especially of a house or other building come in

(2) : to or toward some destination or particular place flew in on the first plane

(3) : at close quarters : near play close in

b : so as to incorporate mix in the flour —often used in combination built-in bookcases

c : to or at an appropriate place fit a piece in

2a : within a particular place especially : within the customary place of residence or business the doctor is in

b : in the position of participant, insider, or officeholder —often used with on in on the joke

c(1) : on good terms

(2) : in a specified relation in bad with the boss

(3) : in a position of assured or definitive success

d : in vogue or season

e of an oil well : in production

f : in one's presence, possession, or control after the crops are in

g : from a condition of indistinguishability to one of clarity fade in

in for

: certain to experience in for a rude awakening

adjective

\ ˈin

Definition of in (Entry 3 of 11)

1a : that is located inside or within the in part

b : that is in position, operation, or power the in party

c : inside sense 2

2 : that is directed or bound inward : incoming the in train

3a : extremely fashionable the in thing to do

b : keenly aware of and responsive to what is new and fashionable the in crowd

noun

\ ˈin

Definition of in (Entry 4 of 11)

1 : one who is in office or power or on the inside a matter of ins versus outs

2 : influence, pull enjoyed some sort of in with the commandant— Henriette Roosenburg

abbreviation (1)

Definition of in (Entry 5 of 11)

1 inch

2 inlet

symbol

Definition of In (Entry 6 of 11)

indium

abbreviation (2)

Definition of IN (Entry 7 of 11)

Indiana

in-

prefix (1)

variants: or il- or im- or ir-

Definition of in- (Entry 8 of 11)

: not : non-, un- —usually il- before l illogical , im- before b, m, or p imbalanceimmoralimpractical , ir- before r irreducible , and in- before other sounds inconclusive

in-

prefix (2)

variants: or il- or im- or ir-

Definition of in- (Entry 9 of 11)

1 : in : within : into : toward : on —usually il- before l illuviation , im- before b, m, or p immingle , ir- before r irradiance , and in- before other sounds infiltrate

2 : en- entry 1 imbrute imperil inspirit

-in

noun suffix

Definition of -in (Entry 10 of 11)

1a : neutral chemical compound insulin

b : enzyme pancreatin

c : antibiotic penicillin

2 : -ine entry 2 sense 1a epinephrin

3 : pharmaceutical product niacin

-in

noun combining form

Definition of -in (Entry 11 of 11)

: organized public protest by means of or in favor of : demonstration teach-in love-in

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about in

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Synonyms & Antonyms for in

Synonyms: Preposition

Synonyms: Adverb

Synonyms: Adjective

Synonyms: Noun

Antonyms: Adjective

Examples of in in a Sentence

Preposition Don't come in here with those muddy feet! drawn on the wall in crayon Adverb She went in and closed the door. I lost my keys and now I can't get in. The burglars broke in through the kitchen window. The pool is deep. Be careful not to fall in. The boss called us in for a conference. The fog was closing in fast. Get your orders in early! Is the train in yet? Adjective the in thing to do the in place to go It's what the in crowd is wearing this season. Noun When you're trying to get started in show business, it helps to have an in. They must have an in with the boss.

Recent Examples on the Web: Preposition Cleveland’s players joined a growing list of teams vowing to skip voluntary in-person workouts this offseason. — Tom Withers, ajc, "Browns, Raiders players say they'll skip offseason workouts," 16 Apr. 2021 Biden press secretary Jen Psaki weighed in during a Thursday press conference. — Jerry Dunleavy, Washington Examiner, "Biden administration says intelligence community has ‘low to moderate confidence' in Russian bounties intelligence," 15 Apr. 2021 Apple’s version of the tune brings in more percussion, but stays fairly true to the original. — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, "Hear Fiona Apple Cover Sharon Van Etten’s ‘Love More’," 15 Apr. 2021 Myra King called on her son’s killer to turn themselves in to authorities and for eyewitnesses to cooperate with police. — Howard Koplowitz | Hkoplowitz@al.com, al, "Family of slain Birmingham Water Works employee Tyrone King pleads for killer to turn self in," 15 Apr. 2021 In past years, the IAAPA show brought in more than 30,000 people. — Gabrielle Russon, orlandosentinel.com, "Orlando convention workers still struggle without jobs. ‘We’re kind of invisible.’," 15 Apr. 2021 Stepping in to lead the compensation committee will be James Gordon Mitchell, the company said. — Tatiana Cirisano, Billboard, "Tencent Music Shakes Up Leadership With New CEO," 15 Apr. 2021 But an hour into the riot, at 1:49 pm, an urgent call came in from Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund to the D.C. National Guard pleading for help. — CBS News, "Document reveals new details of dramatic Mike Pence call during Capitol attack: "Building not secure"," 15 Apr. 2021 Restaurants reeled as cities and states shut down indoor dining or limited dine-in capacity. — Washington Post, "After a pandemic pause, Michelin will resume awarding stars to restaurants," 15 Apr. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb And that’s where Kim, whose knee injury has put his MLS debut on hold probably until next month, comes in. — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, "Newcomer Kim Moon-hwan eager to help LAFC become MLS title contenders again," 16 Apr. 2021 The verdict is in, and big hair is back and better than ever. — Bella Cacciatore, Glamour, "'90s Blowout Hair Is Back for 2021 and Better Than Ever," 15 Apr. 2021 The bag comes in over a dozen colors, ranging from Black and Clear to Hibiscus and Pineapple. — Zoe Malin, NBC News, "Stasher Bags: Best eco-friendly reusable bags for your kitchen," 14 Apr. 2021 The driver of an SUV allegedly shot at the vehicle the boy was in after an altercation began when the SUV nearly struck the car, Cook County prosecutors said. — Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner, "1-year-old boy shot in Chicago making 'slow but steady' recovery," 13 Apr. 2021 Mitchell Verberg comes in on 1-0 count against Anthony Hall (0-2, K, BB) strikes out. — James Crepea | The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, "Rewinding Oregon Ducks baseball’s 5-1 win over Oregon State Beavers," 10 Apr. 2021 While there is a possibility that the efficacy rate of Pfizer’s vaccine could change as more data comes in, the numbers are no doubt encouraging. — Trefis Team, Forbes, "New Developments For Covid-19 Shot Bode Well For Pfizer Stock," 6 Apr. 2021 Ali’s pacing is measured and immaculate: The piano enters the track after the synthesizer cycles through a motif four times; the kick drum comes in after another four rounds. — Elias Leight, Rolling Stone, "Song You Need to Know: Kareem Ali, ‘Como Me Siento Por Ti’," 6 Apr. 2021 One of the very ﬁrst bullets comes in through the open window above the toilet where Luca is standing. — Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, "I invite all you booklovers to try these for openers," 3 Apr. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Yet Preller also made clear this is not an all-in year for the Padres. — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, "Padres get their party started with a win amid proclamations of expectations and hope," 1 Apr. 2021 Families are being asked to arrange their own transportation for students on their in-class learning days. — From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, "Student rallies, high school pay-per-view, $500 tips: News from around our 50 states," 10 Sep. 2020 Jonathan Hinze, president of UxC, notes that among nonsubsidized mines, the all-in cost of production can range anywhere from $10 a pound up to $38 a pound. — Jinjoo Lee, WSJ, "Uranium Has That Healthy Glow Again," 23 Mar. 2021 In other words, Curry expressed his uneasiness with his teammates well before his in-game outburst. — Mark Medina, USA TODAY, "Opinion: Warriors at pivotal point with Stephen Curry’s frustrations and James Wiseman’s benching," 12 Mar. 2021 For the return to all-in, Barnes said the district purchased plexiglass shields for both students and staff. — John Benson, cleveland, "Lakewood City Schools announce March 15 all-in date, address learning loss with invite-only ‘Spring into STEM’ program: Photos," 8 Mar. 2021 In contrast, residential customers nationwide paid a much lower 13.36 cents per KWH, with an all-in rate of 11.11 cents. — Roger Conrad, Forbes, "Texas Power Crisis: An Emerging Buying Opportunity," 1 Mar. 2021 This is done through a combination of on-site content, email nurture program, and our in-house patient care coordinators – the interactions are continuously analyzed and improved upon. — Gary Drenik, Forbes, "A Direct-To-Consumer Approach To PTSD Care," 4 Mar. 2021 Then Charisma Osborne hit a close-in shot as time expired to give UCLA at 52-51 lead heading into the fourth. — oregonlive, "Oregon State tough down the stretch as Beavers stun No. 8 UCLA 71-64," 21 Feb. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The mythical monster was created as a stand-in for the fear and terror of the nuclear weapons that devastated Japanese society. — Washington Post, "‘Godzilla vs. Kong’: Which of our big boys has the power to win?," 31 Mar. 2021 Rob Bonta is a considered a shoo-in for confirmation from the Legislature. — Adam Beam, Star Tribune, "Farmworkers fight shaped California attorney general nominee," 25 Mar. 2021 At first, the premise of the show appears to center on Jonah (Ben Feldman), a business-school washout who takes a job at a giant retail store, Cloud 9, presumably a stand-in for Walmart. — Kovie Biakolo, Vulture, "Farewell to Superstore, a Show That Got Representation Right," 24 Mar. 2021 Chapman seemed a shoo-in for that role early last season, which could be considered his breakout based on numbers alone. — Hannah Underwood, Dallas News, "Texas A&M offseason breakout candidates: Can Caleb Chapman continue on path to becoming A&M’s lead WR?," 18 Mar. 2021 In many ways, the maneuvering is a stand-in for larger tensions within the party. — New York Times, "Democrats, Pushing Stimulus, Admit to Regrets on Obama’s 2009 Response," 16 Mar. 2021 There is whiteface, redface and blackface, along with narrative flourishes delivered by a stand-in for the playwright himself. — Los Angeles Times, "Fountain Theatre’s first play on its pandemic outdoor stage? ‘An Octoroon’," 9 Mar. 2021 Others hated that Evan Peters turned out to be just a big ruse rather a tie-in with X-Men. — Jacob Siegal, BGR, "We need to talk about ‘WandaVision’ and all those Marvel spoilers that didn’t come true," 9 Mar. 2021 White House press secretary Jen Psaki, meanwhile, has sought to cool speculation Young is a shoo-in to be elevated to the top budget post. — Naomi Lim, Washington Examiner, "White House resists Shalanda Young as OMB nominee as congressional pressure grows," 8 Mar. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'in.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of in

Preposition

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Adjective

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1764, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for in

Preposition

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German in in, Latin in, Greek en

Prefix (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin; akin to Old English un-

Prefix (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin, from in in, into

Noun suffix

French -ine, from Latin -īna, feminine of -īnus of or belonging to — more at -en

Noun combining form

sit-in

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Learn More about in

Dictionary Entries near in

impx

imu

I must love you and leave you

in-

Statistics for in

Last Updated

18 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“In.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in. Accessed 20 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for in

preposition

English Language Learners Definition of in

(Entry 1 of 4)

—used to indicate location or position within something

: to the inside of (a room, container, etc.)

—used to indicate that someone or something belongs to or is included as part of something

adverb

English Language Learners Definition of in (Entry 2 of 4)

: to or toward the inside of something (such as a building)

: to or toward a place

: at the place where someone or something arrives after traveling

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of in (Entry 3 of 4)

: popular or fashionable

: aware of and strongly influenced by what is new and fashionable

noun

English Language Learners Definition of in (Entry 4 of 4)

chiefly US, informal : a way of becoming involved in something or of influencing someone

See the full definition for in in the English Language Learners Dictionary

preposition

\ ˈin

, ən \

Kids Definition of in

(Entry 1 of 7)

1 : located or positioned within The house is in the country.

2 : into sense 1 We ran in the house.

3 : during It's warmer in the summer.

4 : with sense 2 I wrote in pencil.

5 —used to show a state or condition You're in luck!We're in trouble.

6 —used to show manner or purpose I'm in a hurry.He laughed in reply.

7 : into sense 2 It broke in pieces.

adverb

\ ˈin

Kids Definition of in (Entry 2 of 7)

1 : to or toward the inside I went in and closed the door.

2 : to or toward some particular place We flew in yesterday.

3 : near entry 1 sense 1 Play close in.

4 : into the midst of something Mix in the flour.

5 : to or at its proper place Can you fit this piece in?

6 : on the inner side : within Everyone is in.

7 : present and available for use All the votes are in.

in for

: sure to experience He was in for a surprise.

adjective

\ ˈin

Kids Definition of in (Entry 3 of 7)

1 : being inside or within the in part

2 : headed or bound inward the in train

3 : fashionable

in.

abbreviation

Kids Definition of in.

inch

abbreviation

Kids Definition of IN

Indiana

in-

prefix

variants: or il- or im- or ir-

Kids Definition of in-

(Entry 1 of 7)

: not : non-, un- —usually il- before l illogical , im- before b, m, or p immoralimpractical , ir- before r irreconcilable and in- before other sounds incomplete

in-

prefix

variants: or il- or im- or ir-

Kids Definition of in- (Entry 2 of 7)

1 : in : within : into : toward : on —usually il- before l illuminate , im- before b, m, or p import , ir- before r irradiate , and in- before other sounds infect

2 : en- sense 2 imperil

abbreviation