Shut in
verb
To keep someone inside a place by not letting them leave.
The heavy snowstorm shut in the residents of the small town.
Often appears as...
- shut in the house
- shut in the room
adjective
A person who stays at home and does not often go out.
He became a shut-in after his wife died, seldom leaving his apartment.
Often appears as...
- shut-in person
- shut-in lifestyle
noun
A person who cannot leave their home, typically due to medical conditions.
Despite being a shut-in, she managed to write multiple best-selling novels.
Often appears as...
- shut-in patient
- living as a shut-in
Usage tips
Health
verb
In geology, it defines a type of oil or gas well that has been closed because it's unusable or not needed at the moment.
The oil well was shut in because there was a drop in oil demand.
Often appears as...
- shut in oil well
- shut in due to reduced demand
Usage tips
Formal
Technical
verb
To keep someone inside a place by not letting them leave.
The heavy snowstorm shut in the residents of the small town.
Often appears as...
- shut in the house
- shut in the room
adjective
A person who stays at home and does not often go out.
He became a shut-in after his wife died, seldom leaving his apartment.
Often appears as...
- shut-in person
- shut-in lifestyle
noun
A person who cannot leave their home, typically due to medical conditions.
Despite being a shut-in, she managed to write multiple best-selling novels.
Often appears as...
- shut-in patient
- living as a shut-in
Usage tips
Health
verb
In geology, it defines a type of oil or gas well that has been closed because it's unusable or not needed at the moment.
The oil well was shut in because there was a drop in oil demand.
Often appears as...
- shut in oil well
- shut in due to reduced demand
Usage tips
Formal
Technical
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Emergency Situations
Used during events that trap people indoors like storms or lockdowns.
Residents were shut in during the hurricane.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Imprisonment
Being shut in does not always mean the person is locked up by someone else.
Snow piled against the door, and we were shut in.
Pro Tip 3/3Temporary Confinement
The situation is mostly temporary until the outside conditions improve.
After the blizzard passed, the shut-in townsfolk could leave their homes.
Pro Tip 1/3Emergency Situations
Used during events that trap people indoors like storms or lockdowns.
Residents were shut in during the hurricane.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Imprisonment
Being shut in does not always mean the person is locked up by someone else.
Snow piled against the door, and we were shut in.
Pro Tip 3/3Temporary Confinement
The situation is mostly temporary until the outside conditions improve.
After the blizzard passed, the shut-in townsfolk could leave their homes.
Pro Tip 1/3Emergency Situations
Used during events that trap people indoors like storms or lockdowns.
Residents were shut in during the hurricane.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Imprisonment
Being shut in does not always mean the person is locked up by someone else.
Snow piled against the door, and we were shut in.
Pro Tip 3/3Temporary Confinement
The situation is mostly temporary until the outside conditions improve.
After the blizzard passed, the shut-in townsfolk could leave their homes.
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