box in
phrasal verb
boxed in; boxing in; boxes in
: to surround (someone or something) and make movement difficult
The other bicyclists boxed her in and she couldn't move ahead.
—usually used as (be) boxed inWe were boxed in and couldn't get out of our parking space.
—sometimes used figurativelyI feel boxed in by all these rules.
Examples of box in in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The viral stunt is the latest evidence of China’s growing strength in robotics, especially the humanoid kinds that can already dance en masse to Chinese music and box in a ring.
—
Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 26 Nov. 2025
Each sonic component of the song is an object placed within that box in a specific location at a specific time; that’s spatial audio.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 22 Nov. 2025
Without a meaningful China strategy, Washington will struggle to match Beijing’s determined, focused efforts to increase its own global influence and box in the United States.
—Edward Fishman, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
The driver then drove the vehicle toward the exit of the parking lot and waited to try and box in Border Patrol.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for box in
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Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 26 Nov. 2025
Each sonic component of the song is an object placed within that box in a specific location at a specific time; that’s spatial audio.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 22 Nov. 2025
Without a meaningful China strategy, Washington will struggle to match Beijing’s determined, focused efforts to increase its own global influence and box in the United States.
—Edward Fishman, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
The driver then drove the vehicle toward the exit of the parking lot and waited to try and box in Border Patrol.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for box in
Cite this Entry
“Box in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/box%20in. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
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