put in

If you do this, you move something into a container, space, or opening.

• Put the key in.
• She put the clothes in the bag.
• Did you put the cake in the oven?

How to use it: put something in something (Put the coins in the jar.)

Similar words: insert, place inside

Opposites: take out

Common phrases: put something in, put in a key, put in the oven

If you do this, you send an official request or application for something you want.

• I put in a request.
• He has put in for two days off.
• When did you put in your application?

How to use it: put in for something (She put in for a transfer to another office.); put in something (We put in an application for a grant.)

Similar words: apply, submit

Common phrases: put in for something, put in a request, put in an application

If you do this, you give time, effort, or money to a job or activity.

• You need to put in more effort.
• She put in ten hours of work yesterday.
• We each put some money in to start the business.

How to use it: put in something (They put in a lot of effort to finish on time.)

Similar words: contribute, invest, devote

Common phrases: put in effort, put in time, put in money, put something in

If authorities do this to someone, they make that person stay in prison or a locked cell.

• They put him in jail.
• The police put the suspect in a cell overnight.
• She was put in prison for stealing public money.

How to use it: put someone in prison/jail (The judge put him in prison for three years.)

Similar words: imprison, jail, lock up

Opposites: release, free

Common phrases: put someone in prison, put someone in jail, put in a cell

If you do this, you formally state a decision or position so it becomes part of an official record.

• He put in a guilty plea.
• The lawyer put in a plea on her client’s behalf.
• She put in her notice before leaving the company.

How to use it: put in a plea of something (The defendant put in a plea of not guilty.)

Similar words: enter, tender

Common phrases: put in a plea, put in notice

If you do this, you plant seeds or young plants so that a crop will grow.

• We put in potatoes this spring.
• The farmer is putting in a new crop of wheat.
• Have you put the carrots in yet?

How to use it: put in something (We put in beans along the fence.)

Similar words: plant, sow

Common phrases: put in carrots, put in potatoes, put in a crop