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
Though Tehran and Riyadh appear to be getting closer, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) is quietly boxing in Iran—replacing confrontation with containment through diplomacy, economic leverage, and nuclear pressure.
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Clare Morell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
On March 21, 2024, Reed was driving in the 3800 block of West Ferdinand when his vehicle was boxed in by the team of tactical officers.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
Instead of just putting stickers on it and calling it a day, my mom had the idea of covering the entire repurposed cardboard shoe box in beautiful pink and red roses from the craft store.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 12 May 2025
This was the puzzle: There are three boxes in a room.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for box in
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Clare Morell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
On March 21, 2024, Reed was driving in the 3800 block of West Ferdinand when his vehicle was boxed in by the team of tactical officers.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
Instead of just putting stickers on it and calling it a day, my mom had the idea of covering the entire repurposed cardboard shoe box in beautiful pink and red roses from the craft store.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 12 May 2025
This was the puzzle: There are three boxes in a room.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 8 May 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 7 Jun. 2025.
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