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
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Conjunction
The dogs wore matching big sister bandanas in case something somehow got lost in translation. Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026 Twenty lift motors provide redundancy to keep the eVTOL in the air in case of single or even dual engine failures. New Atlas, 6 Feb. 2026 Stocks are r ebounding Friday and trying to find a floor after a terrible week, helped by the usual technology leaders, but Wall Street pros are bracing for even more pain ahead just in case the recovery fails to hold. Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2026 And just in case the fear isn’t real enough, this administration, suborned by Republicans at every level of government, are willing to threaten the possibility of harm in order to game winning an election. Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for in case

Word History

First Known Use

Conjunction

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of in case was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“In case.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20case. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.

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