SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

pencil in

phrasal verb

Definition of pencil in

: to put (someone or something that may be changed later) on a schedule, list, etc.

Would you like me to pencil you in for Thursday morning at 11?

—sometimes used figuratively

He was penciled in as the director's replacement.

Word by Word Definitions

pencil play

: an artist's brush
: an artist's individual skill or style
: an implement for writing, drawing, or marking consisting of or containing a slender cylinder or strip of a solid marking substance

: to paint, draw, write, or mark with a pencil
: to plan or designate tentatively

See the full definition of pencil

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