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
Since the owls were put on the endangered list, the DNR has put up around 400 nest boxes in Hoosier barns to help barn owls.
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Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 17 Dec. 2025
Ever since Olympia found the damning Wellbrexa documents in his safety-deposit box in the season-one finale, he’s been scrambling, trying to stay out of jail and save his job (and maybe even to get back together with his ex).
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
Yai has never been boxed in by one idea of beauty.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 12 Dec. 2025
The bed-in-a-box delivery was free, and the mattress arrived compressed and sealed in a box in about a week.
—Kristi Kellogg, Architectural Digest, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for box in
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Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 17 Dec. 2025
Ever since Olympia found the damning Wellbrexa documents in his safety-deposit box in the season-one finale, he’s been scrambling, trying to stay out of jail and save his job (and maybe even to get back together with his ex).
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
Yai has never been boxed in by one idea of beauty.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 12 Dec. 2025
The bed-in-a-box delivery was free, and the mattress arrived compressed and sealed in a box in about a week.
—Kristi Kellogg, Architectural Digest, 10 Dec. 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 21 Dec. 2025.
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