in
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.”
How to use in
Learner’s notesIn 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.
Don't confuse the noun "an in" (a helpful connection) with the preposition "in" — they look identical but function completely differently in a sentence.
Word forms
more in comparative, inned past tense, ins plural, ins singular, most in superlative
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The keys are _____ the drawer.
Etymology
PIE word *h₁en Preposition and verb from Middle English in, from Old English in, from Proto-Germanic *in. Adverb, noun and adjective from Middle English in, from Old English inn and inne, from Proto-Germanic *innai. Sense 1/2 "in"/"into" are from the original PIE prefix, with locative/accusative case respectively. Sense 3/4 "qualification"/"means" are from the PIE metaphor of all infinitives coming from locatives.
Synonyms
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Related words
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.
Featured in
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