Meaning
- Shut in means to confine someone or something inside a space, often preventing them from leaving.
- It can also describe a person who rarely leaves home, usually due to illness, disability, or personal choice.
Grammar and Usage
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Phrasal verb (transitive/intransitive).
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Structure:
- shut sb/sth in → confine someone or something inside.
- be shut in → be trapped or enclosed inside.
- a shut-in (noun) → a person who stays indoors most of the time.
Examples:
- She shut the cat in the bedroom.
- The kids were shut in because of the storm.
- He has become a shut-in after his accident.
Common Phrases
- shut in by the rain – unable to go out due to weather.
- feel shut in – feel trapped or confined.
- be a shut-in – describe someone who rarely leaves their home.
Collocations
- shut in a room
- shut in by circumstances
- shut in at home
- shut-in lifestyle
Examples
- The children were shut in the house all day because of the snowstorm.
- She accidentally shut the dog in the kitchen.
- After the surgery, he felt shut in and lonely for several months.
- The villagers were shut in by heavy floods.
- Don’t shut yourself in—come outside and get some fresh air.
- My grandmother is a shut-in and depends on neighbors for groceries.
- He shut in his feelings and never shared them with anyone.
Synonyms or Related
- confine
- enclose
- trap
- keep in
Antonym
- let out
- release
- free