In — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

preposition adverb adjective noun abbreviation symbol /ˈin/

Meaning & Definition of In

In (preposition)

  1. —used as a function word to indicate inclusion, location, or position within limits
  2. into
  3. —used as a function word to indicate means, medium, or instrumentality

In (adverb)

  1. to or toward the inside especially of a house or other building
  2. to or toward some destination or particular place
  3. at close quarters, near

In (adjective)

  1. that is located inside or within
  2. that is in position, operation, or power
  3. inside

In (noun)

  1. one who is in office or power or on the inside
  2. influence, pull

In (abbreviation)

  1. inch
  2. inlet
  3. Indiana

In (symbol)

  1. indium

In (preposition) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. using the means or agency of

    "drawn on the wall in crayon"

    similar: by, per, through, via, with, by dint of, by means of, by virtue of

In (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. at, within, or to a short distance or time

    "the fielders closed in"

    similar: around, by, close, hard, near, nearby, nigh, at close quarters, at hand, on one's doorstep, within call
    related: hereabouts, hereaway (dialect), thereabouts, along, alongside, accessibly, conveniently, handily

In (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being in the latest or current fashion

    "the in hairstyle this spring"

    similar: à la mode, au courant, chic, cool (slang), exclusive, fashionable, fresh (slang), happening, hip, modish, sharp, smart, snappy, stylish, supercool, swell, swish, trendy, voguish
    related: downtown, edgy, funky, dapper, dashing, dressy, kicky, natty, rakish, sassy, saucy, spiffy, spruce, chichi, classy, flossy, haute, nobby, posh, ritzy, soigné, swank, elegant, graceful, handsome, majestic, refined, sophisticated, stately, tasteful, understated, doggish, doggy, flashy, gallant, dandyish, dudish, foppish, ultrachic, ultracool, ultrahip, ultraposh, ultrasmart, ultrasophisticated
    opposite: dowdy, out, outmoded, styleless, unchic, uncool, unfashionable, unmodish, unstylish
    near: cheesy, tacky, unattractive, unbecoming, graceless, inelegant, tasteless, trashy, unhandsome, frowsy, sloppy, slovenly, unkempt, untidy, disheveled, messy, mussy, rumpled, wrinkled, shabby, sleazy

  2. enjoying widespread favor or approval

    "the in thing to do is not always the right thing to do"

    similar: big, crowd-pleasing, du jour, faddish, faddy, fashionable, favorite, happening, hot, large, modish, pop, popular, popularized, red-hot, vogue, voguish
    related: semipopular, preferred, selected, desirable, liked, wanted, celebrated, famed, famous, noted, notorious, prominent, renowned, well-known, fabled, fabulous, legendary, leading, notable, outstanding, remarkable, important, significant
    opposite: out, unfashionable, unpopular
    near: washed-up, despised, detested, disliked, hated, rejected, insignificant, unimportant, indistinguished, unexceptional, anonymous, nameless, obscure, unknown, inconspicuous

  3. keenly aware of and responsive to the latest developments especially in fashion and entertainment

    "in gearheads had already decided that the format was a loser"

    similar: au courant, cool (slang), def (slang), downtown, groovy, hep, hip, mod, now, trendy, turned-on, with-it
    related: à la mode, chic, fashionable, modish, sharp, smart, snappy, stylish, voguish
    opposite: out, uncool, unhip, untrendy
    near: geeky, nerdish, nerdy, dowdy, styleless, unfashionable, unstylish

  4. being within the confines of a specified place

    "the doctor isn't in right now"

    similar: attending, present, at hand, in attendance, on hand
    related: accompanying, observing, participating, available, abounding, latent, breathing, existent, existing, extant, live
    opposite: absent, away, missing, out
    near: departed, gone, retired, nonexistent, AWOL, truant, dead, deceased, defunct, demised, lost, vanished, belated, delayed, delinquent, late, overdue, tardy

In (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly

    "her years of experience with the federal regulatory agency gives her a tremendous in as a lobbyist for the nuclear power industry"

    similar: authority, clout, credit, heft, influence, juice (slang), leverage, pull, sway, weight
    related: counterinfluence, command, dominance, dominion, mastery, predominance, reign, scepter, sovereignty, supremacy, consequence, eminence, importance, moment, impact, impress, impression, imprint, mark
    near: helplessness, impotence, impotency, powerlessness, weakness

Related Entry: In camera (adverb)

In camera is a different word from In. The synonyms below are for in camera, not for in.

  1. in a manner intended to prevent knowledge or awareness by others

    "the board of trustees met in camera to decide the fate of the embattled university president"

    similar: backstage, confidentially, intimately, privately, secretly, in private
    related: à deux, tête-à-tête, inwardly, sotto voce, offscreen, offstage, clandestinely, collusively, conspiratorially, covertly, furtively, secretively, sneakily, stealthily, surreptitiously, undercover, underground, underhand, underhanded, underhandedly
    opposite: openly, publicly

Related Entry: In-depth (adjective)

In-depth is a different word from In. The synonyms below are for in-depth, not for in.

  1. covering everything or all important points

    "an in-depth report on the issue of violence in popular entertainment"

    similar: all-embracing, all-in (chiefly British), all-inclusive, broad-gauge, compendious, complete, comprehensive, cover-all, cyclopedic, embracive, encyclopedic, exhaustive, full, global, inclusive, omnibus, panoramic, thorough, universal
    related: broad, catholic, encyclical, general, inclusionary, overall, cosmic, extensive, far, far-reaching, grand, large, panoptic, sweeping, vast, wide, wide-ranging, blanket, indiscriminate, unrestricted
    near: circumscribed, limited, narrow, restricted, specialized, exact, precise, individual, singular, specific, incomplete, patchy, sketchy

Related Entry: In-migrant (noun)

In-migrant is a different word from In. The synonyms below are for in-migrant, not for in.

  1. one that leaves one place to settle in another

    "the recent flood of in-migrants has completely altered the state's cultural and political landscape"

    similar: emigrant, émigré, immigrant, incomer (chiefly British), migrant, out-migrant, settler
    related: defector, deportee, evacuee, exile, expatriate, refugee, relocatee, repatriate, alien, foreigner, noncitizen, nonnative, colonist, newcomer, squatter, migrator, pilgrim, pioneer, trekker
    opposite: nonimmigrant
    near: aborigine, native, citizen, habitant, inhabitant, national, resident

Related Entry: In-your-face (adjective)

In-your-face is a different word from In. The synonyms below are for in-your-face, not for in.

  1. having or showing a bold forcefulness in the pursuit of a goal

    "an in-your-face attitude that sometimes puts people off"

    similar: aggressive, ambitious, assertive, enterprising, fierce, go-getting, high-pressure, militant, pushy, self-asserting, self-assertive
    related: argumentative, bellicose, belligerent, combative, contentious, discordant, disputatious, gladiatorial, pugnacious, quarrelsome, trigger-happy, truculent, warlike, hyperaggressive, overambitious, dynamic, energetic, gung ho, hustling, strenuous, vigorous, emphatic, obtrusive, adventuresome, adventurous, daring, dashing, emboldened, gutsy, venturesome, venturous, audacious, bold, brash, brassy, bumptious, cheeky, cocksure, cocky, confident, determined, forward, impudent, insolent, overconfident, presumptuous, unapologetic, unsubdued, unyielding, bare-knuckle, feisty, scrappy, dominating, domineering, imperious, lordly, magisterial, overbearing
    opposite: ambitionless, low-pressure, nonassertive, unaggressive, unambitious, unassertive, unenterprising
    near: easygoing, laid-back, relaxed, acquiescent, amenable, compliant, deferential, docile, resigned, submissive, tractable, yielding, cowering, cringing, groveling, shrinking, bashful, demure, diffident, humble, lowly, meek, mild, modest, mousy, overmodest, passive, quiet, reserved, retiring, shy, subdued, timid, unobtrusive, obsequious, servile, slavish, subservient

Related Entry: In a breeze (phrase)

In a breeze is a different word from In. The synonyms below are for in a breeze, not for in.

  1. without difficulty

    "I could pass that test in a breeze."

    similar: easily, easy, effortlessly, facilely, fluently, freely, handily, hands down, lightly, painlessly, readily, smoothly, well, no sweat (slang), without ado, without a hitch
    related: ably, adeptly, adroitly, competently, deftly, dexterously, efficiently, expertly, masterfully, proficiently, skillfully, instinctively, intuitively, naturally, spontaneously
    opposite: arduously, hardly, laboriously, strenuously
    near: awkwardly, clumsily, gracelessly, ham-handedly, ineptly, maladroitly, unskillfully, meticulously, painfully, painstakingly, thoroughly, assiduously, diligently, indefatigably, industriously, intensely, intently, mightily, sedulously, tirelessly

Related Entry: In a fume (phrase)

In a fume is a different word from In. The synonyms below are for in a fume, not for in.

  1. feeling or showing anger

    "Lydia approached them in a fume after seeing the mess they had made."

    similar: angered, angry, apoplectic, ballistic, cheesed off (chiefly British), choleric, enraged, foaming, fuming, furious, hopping, horn-mad, hot, incensed, indignant, inflamed, infuriate, infuriated, irate, ireful, livid, mad, outraged, rabid, rankled, riled, riley, roiled, shirty (chiefly British), sore, steamed up, steaming, teed off, ticked, wrathful, wroth, bent out of shape, blue in the face, fit to be tied, going crook (Australia & New Zealand), hopping mad, hot under the collar, in a huff, in a pet
    related: ranting, raving, stormy, boiling, bristling, bristly, burning, cross, huffy, passionate, seething, sizzling, smoldering, worked up, wrought (up), acrid, acrimonious, antagonistic, antipathetic, bitter, embittered, inimical, malevolent, piqued, rancorous, resentful, spiteful, vengeful, vindictive, virulent, vitriolic, antisocial, cold, cool, disagreeable, disapproving, distant, frigid, icy, ill-tempered, sorehead, sulky, unfriendly, unpleasant, aggravated, annoyed, bearish, bilious, cantankerous, churlish, crabby, cranky, dyspeptic, exasperated, fretful, fussy, grouchy, grumpy, ill-humored, inflammable, irascible, irritable, peevish, perturbed, petulant, put out, quick-tempered, snappish, testy, touchy, argumentative, belligerent, contentious, contrary, disputatious, ornery, pugnacious, quarrelsome, querulous
    opposite: angerless, delighted, pleased
    near: accepting, accommodating, obliging, agreeable, amenable, complaisant, amicable, cordial, friendly, content, happy, satisfied, empathetic, sympathetic, tolerant, understanding, calm, pacific, peaceable, placid, serene, tranquil, unembittered, affable, amiable, easygoing, genial, good-natured, good-tempered, kind, pleasant, sweet

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for In

The most common words with a similar meaning to In:

Slang: cool, fresh, def, juice
by, per, through, via, with, by dint of, by means of, by virtue of, around, close, hard, near, nearby, nigh, at close quarters, at hand, on one's doorstep, within call, à la mode, au courant, chic, exclusive, fashionable, happening, hip, modish, sharp, smart, snappy, stylish, supercool, swell, swish, trendy, voguish, big, crowd-pleasing, du jour, faddish, faddy

Antonyms & Opposite Words for In

Words with the opposite meaning of In:

dowdy, out, outmoded, styleless, unchic, uncool, unfashionable, unmodish, unstylish, unpopular, unhip, untrendy, absent, away, missing

Related Words for In

hereabouts, hereaway, thereabouts, along, alongside, accessibly, conveniently, handily, edgy, funky, dapper, dashing, dressy, kicky, natty, rakish, sassy, saucy, spiffy, spruce, chichi, classy, flossy, haute, nobby, posh, ritzy, soigné, swank, elegant

Near Antonyms of In

cheesy, tacky, unattractive, unbecoming, graceless, inelegant, tasteless, trashy, unhandsome, frowsy, sloppy, slovenly, unkempt, untidy, disheveled, messy, mussy, rumpled, wrinkled, shabby, sleazy, washed-up, despised, detested, disliked, hated, rejected, insignificant, unimportant, indistinguished

Origin & Etymology of In

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German in in, Latin in, Greek en

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for In

Words & Phrases Containing In

in-, -in

Frequently Asked Questions about In

What does "In" mean?

"In" means —used as a function word to indicate inclusion, location, or position within limits. As an a preposition, an adverb, an adjective, a noun, an abbreviation and a symbol, it is defined as: —used as a function word to indicate inclusion, location, or position within limits. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "In"?

Other words for "In" include by, per, through, via, with, by dint of, by means of and by virtue of. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "In" you intend.

What are different ways to say "In"?

There are 176 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "In". Common alternatives include by, per, through, via, with, by dint of, by means of, by virtue of, around and close.

What is a slang word for "In"?

Slang words for "In" include cool, fresh, def and juice.

What is the opposite of "In"?

Antonyms of "In" include dowdy, out, outmoded, styleless, unchic, uncool, unfashionable and unmodish. Near antonyms include cheesy, tacky, unattractive and unbecoming.

How do you use "In" in a sentence?

Examples of "In" in a sentence: "drawn on the wall in crayon"; "the fielders closed in"; "the in hairstyle this spring".

Is "In" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"In" can be used as a preposition, an adverb, an adjective, a noun, an abbreviation and a symbol, depending on the context.

Is "In" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "In" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.