box in
Third Person
boxes in
Present Participle
boxing in
Past Tense
boxed in
Past Participle
boxed in
1
to physically confine or surround a person or thing so closely that they cannot move away or escape
- The protesters felt boxed in by the police barriers.
- The unexpected move boxed in their strategic planning.
- She sensed being boxed in by the crowded room.
- The team strategically boxed the opponents in during the game.
Synonyms:
2
to limit someone's choices, making it difficult for them to take the actions they intended
- The new regulations boxed the company's expansion plans in.
- The team felt boxed in by tight project deadlines.
- The political leader found himself boxed in by conflicting priorities.
- The employee felt boxed in by the restrictive office policies.
- Despite efforts to innovate, they felt boxed in by industry norms.