In

/ən/ · preposition

Meaning

Used to indicate location, inclusion, or position within spatial, temporal or abstract limits..

Definitions by Sense

1. Used to indicate location, inclusion, or position within spatial, temporal or abstract limits.
2. Into.
3. By (doing something); indicating action causing an effect or achieving a purpose.
4. Indicating an order or arrangement.
5. Denoting a state of the subject.
6. Indicates, connotatively, a place-like form of someone's (or something's) personality, as his, her or its psychic and physical characteristics.
7. Pertaining to; with regard to.
8. Used to indicate means, medium, format, genre, or instrumentality.

Example Sentences

Less water gets in your boots this way.

She stood there looking in the window longingly.

The ball was accidentally kicked in Kevin Nolan's face in the opening seconds of the contest – an incident that set the tone for an extremely uncomfortable encounter for the Premier League side.

In replacing the faucet washers, he felt he was making his contribution to the environment.

In trying to make amends, she actually made matters worse.

My aim in travelling there was to find my missing friend.

In returning to the vault, I had no very sure purpose in mind; only a vague surmise that this finding of Blackbeard's coffin would somehow lead to the finding of his treasure.

My fat rolls around in folds.

Synonyms for in

Antonyms for in

Related Words

Word Forms

• i'
• ins
• inning
• inned
• more in
• most in
• in
• in.

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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