tune in

verb

tuned in; tuning in; tunes in

transitive verb

: to listen to or view a broadcast of

tuned in the weather report

intransitive verb

1

: to listen to or view a broadcast

We tuned in to hear the election results.

2

: to understand and be aware of a situation

He was not tuned in to the needs of his staff.

Examples of tune in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Moafi, 40, tuned in Wednesday morning, July 8, to watch the live Emmy nominations announcement, nervously waiting to hear whether her name would be called. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 8 July 2026

Some 40 or 50 million viewers were expected to tune in; how many of them watched for the first time? — Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026

Fifteen thousand people packed the stands, millions more tuned in, and the match set ratings records on ESPN. — Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Stay updated on tornado watches and warnings by tuning in to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio. — Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

tune in

verb

1

: to listen to or view a broadcast

tune in next week for the conclusion

2

: to pay attention to what is happening or to one's surroundings