in case

1 of 2

conjunction

1

: as a precaution against the event that

carries an umbrella in case it rains

2

: if

In case we are surprised, keep by me.

—Washington Irving

in case

2 of 2

phrase

: as a precaution

took an umbrella, just in case

Examples of in case in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Conjunction

And, in case the birds are hungry, the top tier also provides some grub. —Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 May 2026

Harteveldt urged customers to keep copies of their Spirit itineraries in case another airline requires them. —Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 2 May 2026

Still, without corrective action, city staff warned those funds could drop if no changes are made to current spending and revenues to roughly 2% by June 2027, falling below the city’s policy on maintaining a 10% minimum in reserves in case of unexpected costs or revenue shortfalls. —Mona Darwish, Oc Register, 1 May 2026

Have at least one backup route in case roads are blocked. —Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 1 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Conjunction

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for in case

• abase
• airspace
• apace
• backspace
• biface
• birthplace
• blackface
• boldface
• bookcase
• braincase
• briefcase
• carcase