In | Definition, Meaning & Part of Speech
The word in is typically a preposition. Prepositions are function words rather than content words. Function words like prepositions don’t carry much meaning on their own, but convey meaning through their grammatical relationship with the other words in the sentence.
In some contexts, “in” can also function as an adverb, adjective or noun.
| Part of speech | Example in a sentence |
|---|---|
| Preposition | I saw him in the restaurant. |
| Adverb | I called, but you weren’t in. |
| Adjective | That restaurant is so in right now. |
| Noun | I’ve got an in with the owner of that restaurant; I can give him your resume. |
In definition
The word in typically functions as a preposition, with its meaning coming from the grammatical role it plays in the sentence.
For example, in the sentence “The cat is in the kitchen again”, its part of speech is a preposition. In combination with the other elements of the sentence, the function of “in” is to indicate the cat’s location, and imply that it is an enclosed space or area such as a room.
By contrast, “The cat is on the kitchen again” would imply a surface (e.g., The speaker is in the kitchen and can hear the cat walking on the roof of the kitchen”).
Is in a preposition?
The word in typically functions as a preposition referring to the location of something enclosed or contained by something else. This can be a physical location (e.g., “in the store,” “in Mexico”), an abstract location (e.g., “in the letter,” “in the film”), or a location in time (e.g., “in a week,” “in the Jurassic period”).
| Function of in | Examples in a sentence |
|---|---|
| To refer to a place (e.g., an enclosed place or geographical/physical area or space) | There’s a pen in my bag. |
| She was born in a small town. | |
| Were those tears in his eyes? | |
| To refer to a period of time (e.g., a season, month, timeframe, or century) | The lavender will start flowering in late spring. |
| Our last appointment was in March. | |
| We can move into our new apartment in about four weeks. | |
| The first pianos were made in the early 18th century. | |
| To refer to a piece of writing, work of art and visual representation | Is he mentioned in the report? |
| She is appearing in As You Like It at the Delacorte Theater. | |
| I’m not in that photo because I took it. | |
| To refer to a group or category (e.g. an industry, profession, subject, or department) | How long have you been working in Marketing? |
| She has a degree in law. | |
| I think he works in HR. |
The preposition in is also used in a variety of other ways that go beyond indicating where something is located.
| Function of in | Examples in a sentence |
|---|---|
| To refer to what someone is wearing | Who’s that in the blue cap over there? |
| They looked very smart in their uniforms. | |
| To refer to a state, condition, or emotion | Sorry I didn’t have time earlier; I was in a rush. |
| He’s in very good health. | |
| A friend in need is a friend indeed | |
| To refer to how something is expressed, arranged, or implemented | Did she write it in French or English? |
| Please get in line. | |
| You don’t have to do the corrections in red. |
Is in an adverb?
In can function as an adverb, but to determine if this is its part of speech, you need to analyze the sentence carefully because distinguishing it from a preposition can be tricky.
Adverb in: at home
The word in is classified as an adverb when it’s used as a subject complement of the verb “be” to mean “at home” or “at work” (e.g., “Sorry, she’s not in at the moment”). But if in is introducing a prepositional phrase, then it is functioning as a preposition (e.g., “She’s not in the office today”).
Just a minute; I’ll check if he’s in today.
Adverb in: toward the inside
In can function as an adverb meaning “toward the inside” when it’s modifying a verb to indicate direction (e.g., “He walked in and sat down”). But, again, it is functioning as a preposition if it’s introducing a prepositional phrase (e.g., “He walked in the room and sat down”).
Don’t throw it in; put it in gently.
In: phrasal verbs
When it’s part of a phrasal verb, modern grammars classify in as a particle, not as an adverb or preposition. For instance, “in” is a particle in sentences like “I turned in early” (where the phrasal verb “turn in” means “go to bed”) and “You turned in your homework late” (where the phrasal verb “turn in” means “submit”). Phrasal verb particles are also referred to as “verb particles” or “adverb particles.”
Bear in mind that it’s easy to confuse phrasal verbs with prepositional verbs (typical verb-preposition combinations like “depend on,” “look at,” and “reply to”) because they look very similar. The word in is always a preposition, not an adverb, when it’s part of a prepositional verb.
In the sentence “I believe in ghosts,” for instance, in is a preposition because it belongs to the prepositional verb “believe in,” where “ghosts” is the object of the preposition “in.”
I thought you gave in to her too easily. [Phrasal verb: “give in,” meaning “reluctantly agree”]
Can you stand in for me at the meeting? [Phrasal verb: “stand in,” meaning “substitute”]
Don’t be taken in by his polite manners. [Phrasal verb: “take in,” meaning “deceive”]
He’s having trouble fitting in at college [Phrasal verb: “fit in,” meaning “feel that you belong”]
For instance, for the sentences “I believe in ghosts” and “I turned in early”:
- “In what do you believe?” makes sense, so “believe in” is a prepositional verb.
- “In where did you turn?” and “In when did you turn?” etc. make no sense in the context of “going to bed”—you would have to say “Where did you turn in?” or “When did you turn in?” (with “in” at the end), so “turn in” is a phrasal verb.
Is in a noun?
The word in functions as a noun when it means “an opportunity to exert influence or make progress.”
Are you looking for an in to a career in sales?
Is in an adjective?
The word in functions as an adjective when it means “fashionable” or “popular.”
I saw you hanging out with the in crowd.
Yo-yos seem to be the in thing at my son’s school right now.
Frequently asked questions about in
- What’s a synonym for fit in?
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Some synonyms for fit in when it means “have or find time to do” are:
- Find/make time (for)
- Squeeze in
- Manage
- Balance
- Work (for me, you, etc.)
Some synonyms for fit in when it means “belong to a group” are:
- Integrate
- Get along (with)
- Assimilate
- Work (well with)
QuillBot’s free Paraphraser will help you to find the best synonym for “fit in” in your specific context.
- Is it in or into?
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You can use in or into with some verbs like “throw”, “put,” “dive,” and “jump” in some contexts (e.g., “throw it in/into the trash,” “put it in/into the trash,” “dive in/into the water,” “jump in/into the water”).
However, “in” typically indicates location (e.g., “It’s in the kitchen,”) whereas “into” typically indicates movement in the direction of a location (e.g., “She took it into the kitchen).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you to avoid confusing “in” and “into” in your writing.
- Is it home in on or hone in on?
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In formal English, use home in on, not hone in on, when you mean “focus mainly on a particular aspect” or “successfully find a target” (e.g., “The article homes in on the negative issues,” “The video shows the missile homing in on its target”).
Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker? You can use it to check that you’re using phrases like “home in on” correctly in your writing.
- What is the meaning of hand in hand?
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The adverb hand in hand means “together.” If something “goes hand in hand” with something else, it means that the two things are very closely linked (e.g., “Quality and price often go hand in hand”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you use phrases like “go hand in hand with” correctly in your writing.
- Is it check in or check-in?
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If it is check in or check-in depends on the context.
If you’re using check in as a phrasal verb, then there is no hyphen (e.g., “We can check in after 3 p.m.”)
If you’re using it as a noun or as part of a compound noun, then hyphenate it (e.g., “Check-in is from 3 p.m.,” “The check-in time is 3 p.m.”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you use hyphens correctly in your writing.
