in name
idiom
—used with a following statement to say that something is so by name or title but that is not the way things really are
The Emperor rules in name but not in fact.
She's my boss in name, but we're really more like partners.
Examples of in name in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That holding renders constitutional guarantees meaningful in name only for any individuals who are not parties to a lawsuit.
—
Erwin Chemerinsky, Mercury News, 3 July 2025
While the real-life Lon is unknown in name and profession, Cathy’s grandmother was indeed engaged to another man for a time before reuniting with Cathy's grandfather.
—Nicole Briese, People.com, 25 June 2025
Realism is important for many F1 romance readers — books that say F1 in name but don’t include the actualities of the sport can have far lower ratings on review sites like Goodreads or StoryGraph.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2025
Certified under FedRAMP High and multiple SOC standards, Gemini is enterprise-ready in name — but Google’s data practices still raise flags for regulated sectors.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for in name
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Erwin Chemerinsky, Mercury News, 3 July 2025
While the real-life Lon is unknown in name and profession, Cathy’s grandmother was indeed engaged to another man for a time before reuniting with Cathy's grandfather.
—Nicole Briese, People.com, 25 June 2025
Realism is important for many F1 romance readers — books that say F1 in name but don’t include the actualities of the sport can have far lower ratings on review sites like Goodreads or StoryGraph.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2025
Certified under FedRAMP High and multiple SOC standards, Gemini is enterprise-ready in name — but Google’s data practices still raise flags for regulated sectors.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for in name
Cite this Entry
“In name.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20name. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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