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prep A1 Beginner Very common

in

uhn
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In (prep) means Contained by, inside, or within the limits of something — spatially, in time, or in a more abstract sense. Example: “The keys are in the drawer.”

prep
1
Contained by, inside, or within the limits of something — spatially, in time, or in a more abstract sense.
"The keys are in the drawer."
"We'll finish in an hour."
"My grandmother keeps her old photographs in a wooden box."
2
Used to say what someone is wearing, what field they work in, or what condition/state they're in.
"She showed up in a red coat."
"He's been in finance for a decade."
"The waiter in the white apron brought our drinks."
adj
1
Fashionable or currently popular.
"Bright orange sunglasses are in this season, according to the magazine."
"Wearing vintage band shirts is very in at the moment."
"Chunky trainers were the in thing that year."
2
Currently batting, in cricket or baseball.
"She stayed in for most of the afternoon and wore the bowlers down."
"Which batter is in now, and who is waiting to go next?"
"Their star batter was still in when rain stopped play."
noun
1
A position of access, favor, or influence, especially one that helps you get something done.
"He got the job through an in with the hiring manager."
"Her cousin works there, so she has an in at the company."
"Knowing the owner gave us an in with the festival organisers."

How to use in

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe basic word for being inside, within, or part of something — one of English's most overloaded small words, also used for fashion ("in"), a useful connection ("an in"), and cricket/baseball turns at bat.

Common mistake

Don't confuse the noun "an in" (a helpful connection) with the preposition "in" — they look identical but function completely differently in a sentence.

Common pairings
in time in fashion have an in with someone still in (cricket)
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Word forms

Plural
ins
Third person singular
ins
Past tense
inned
Comparative
more in
Superlative
most in
Test yourself on “in” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The keys are _____ the drawer.

Etymology

This word goes back to the PIE word *h₁en. As a preposition and verb, it comes from Middle English in, from Old English in, from Proto-Germanic *in. As an adverb, noun and adjective, it comes from Middle English in, from Old English inn and inne, from Proto-Germanic *innai. Senses 1 and 2, "in" and "into", come from the original PIE prefix, with the locative and accusative case respectively. Senses 3 and 4, "qualification" and "means", come from the PIE metaphor in which all infinitives derive from locatives.

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

View more →
inside within indium inch

Antonyms

out

Related words

out into off without away within outside inside

Frequently asked questions

What does “in” mean?
The word “in” means contained by, inside, or within the limits of something — spatially, in time, or in a more abstract sense. In plain terms, the basic word for being inside, within, or part of something — one of English's most overloaded small words, also used for fashion ("in"), a useful connection ("an in"), and cricket/baseball turns at bat.
How do you pronounce “in”?
“In” is pronounced uhn (/ən/ in IPA).
How do you use “in” in a sentence?
Here is “in” used in a sentence: “The keys are in the drawer.”
What is the opposite of “in”?
The opposite of “in” — its antonyms — is out.
What part of speech is “in”?
Depending on how it is used, “in” can be a preposition, an adjective and a noun.
Is “in” a common word?
“In” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “in” have?
“In” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: contained by, inside, or within the limits of something — spatially, in time, or in a more abstract sense.
What is the difference between "in" and "on" for places?
Use "in" for enclosed spaces or areas with boundaries: "in the box", "in the kitchen", "in London." Use "on" for surfaces: "on the table", "on the wall." Some pairings are fixed by convention, such as "in the car" but "on the bus."
What is the difference between "in" and "at" for time?
"In" goes with longer periods — months, years, seasons, and parts of the day: "in July", "in 2020", "in the morning." "At" marks precise points: "at six o'clock", "at noon", "at midnight." Note the fixed exception "at night."
What is the difference between "in" and "into"?
"In" describes a position or state: "she is in the garden." "Into" describes movement from outside to inside: "she walked into the garden." When the verb involves motion toward the inside of something, "into" is usually the right choice.

Example sentences

Real-world examples showing in in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.

In Glasgow, despite coming into the final as the fastest qualifier, he had to settle for bronze.
From BBC Sport · Jul 25, 2026

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