Sign in meaning
Sign in means to enter your name and password to use a website or app. It can also mean to write your name in a book or on a list when you arrive somewhere.
sign in
sign in · signed · signing
I can’t sign in. I think I forgot my password.
Sign in meanings and examples
3 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
Enter your name and password to use a website or app
sign in
- I can’t sign in. I think I forgot my password.
- Sign in with your email to see your orders.
- Why do I have to sign in every time?
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2
Write your name in a book or on a list when you arrive somewhere
sign in
- All visitors must sign in at the front desk.
- The nurses sign in when they start their shift.
- Did you sign in when you got to the gym?
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3
Write your name to let a visitor come into a building
sign somebody in
- My friend signed me in at her sports club.
- You need a member to sign you in.
- I’ll sign in your guests at reception.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use sign 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 sign in separable?
Sign in usually has no object. Use to for the account or site: sign in to your account. When you let a guest in, the person goes in the middle: She signed me in.
Sign in and log in mean the same online. The noun is sign-in: a sign-in page, a sign-in sheet. The opposite is sign out.
Verb tenses for sign in
| Present | I sign in · she signs in |
|---|---|
| Past | signed in |
| Present perfect | have signed in |
| -ing form | signing in |
Common mistakes with sign in
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: I can’t sign in my account.
Right: I can’t sign in to my account.
Add to (or into in US English) before the account.
Wrong: I’m new here. How do I sign in?
Right: I’m new here. How do I sign up?
For a new account, use sign up. Sign in is for an account you already have.
Wrong: My cousin signed in me at the hotel pool.
Right: My cousin signed me in at the hotel pool.
A pronoun goes between sign and in.
Synonyms and opposites of sign in
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
Opposite
- sign outleave your account, or write your name when you leave
- log outend your session on a computer or website
Sign in quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1Please ___ with your username and password.
Sign in means enter your details to use an account.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Use sign in to before the account.
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3A sign at an office says, “All visitors please sign in.” What should you do?
In a building, sign in means write your name when you arrive.
More phrasal verbs with sign
2 phrasal verbs start with sign. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Sign in FAQ
Questions people ask about sign in.
Sign in vs log in: what is the difference?
Online, they mean the same. Sign in is common on Google and Apple pages; log in is common on many other sites.
Sign in vs sign up: what is the difference?
Sign up is the first time, to make an account. Sign in is every time after that, to use it.
Is it sign in to or sign into?
Both are used. Sign in to is more common in UK English and in style guides. Sign into is common in US English.
Use sign 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.