Put in meaning
Put in means to put something inside a container, a machine or a drink. It can also mean to fix new equipment in a home or building so it works.
put something in
put in · put · putting
Put your card in and type your number.
Put in meanings and examples
4 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Put something inside a container, a machine or a drink
put something in
- Put your card in and type your number.
- Do you put sugar in?
- The bag’s open. Just put it in.
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2
Fix new equipment in a home or building so it works
put something in
- We’re having a new shower put in.
- They put in solar panels last year.
- How much does it cost to put a new kitchen in?
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3
Spend time or effort on something
put something in
- She puts in ten hours a day at the café.
- You’ve really put in a lot of work.
- If you put the effort in, you’ll pass.
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4
Officially make a request, an offer or a complaint
put something in
- I’ve put in a request for a day off.
- They put in an offer on the flat.
- He didn’t put in a complaint about the noise.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use put in in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is put in separable?
Put in is separable: put in a new kitchen, put a new kitchen in. With a pronoun, it goes in the middle: put it in.
The noun input comes from put in. Thanks for your input means thanks for your ideas and help.
Verb tenses for put in
| Present | I put in · she puts in |
|---|---|
| Past | put in |
| Present perfect | have put in |
| -ing form | putting in |
Common mistakes with put in
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: Here’s the coin. Put in it.
Right: Here’s the coin. Put it in.
A pronoun goes between put and in.
Wrong: He put in a lot of efforts.
Right: He put in a lot of effort.
Effort is usually uncountable.
Wrong: She put a complaint about the food.
Right: She put in a complaint about the food.
You need in: put in a complaint, a request or an offer.
Synonyms and opposites of put in
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- installthe formal word for putting in equipment
- addput something extra into food or drink
- investput money or time into something for a return
Put in quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1The machine won’t start until you ___ a coin.
Put in means put something inside.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Use put in with uncountable effort.
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3Lea wants Friday off, so she ___ a request.
Put in a request means make it officially.
More phrasal verbs with put
All phrasal verbs with put, by level, with an exercise
11 phrasal verbs start with put. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
- put onA2dress yourself in clothes, shoes or glasses
- put offB1decide to do something later than you planned
- put awayB1put something in the place where it is kept
- put downB1place something you are holding on a table or the floor
- put outB1stop a fire, a cigarette or a light from burning or shining
- put upB1fix something to a wall, or raise something higher
- put backB1return something to the place where it was before
- put up withB2accept something or someone annoying without complaining
- put togetherB2make something by joining its parts
- put forwardC1suggest an idea or a plan so people can discuss it
Put in FAQ
Questions people ask about put in.
What is the difference between put in and put into?
Put into always needs a place after it: Put the coins into the machine. Put in can stand alone at the end: Put it in!
What does put in a good word mean?
It means say good things about someone to help them: I’ll put in a good word for you with my boss.
What does put in an appearance mean?
It means go to an event for a short time, often because you should: I’ll put in an appearance at the party, then go home.
Use put in in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.