keep in: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1 (Common phrasal verb with multiple meanings)Neutral to informal (depending on context); common in spoken and written English.
Quick answer
What does “keep in” mean?
To retain or maintain something within a specified boundary, container, or relationship.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To retain or maintain something within a specified boundary, container, or relationship; to continue to have or hold.
To continue practicing, using, or storing something; to maintain a relationship or state; to prevent from escaping or being lost; to comply with rules or schedules.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. Slight preference in UK English for 'keep in' with school detention ('He was kept in after class'), while US might say 'kept after'. No significant lexical differences.
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties. No regional connotations attached to this phrasal verb.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties. Corpus data shows comparable usage across UK and US English.
Grammar
How to Use “keep in” in a Sentence
keep something inkeep somebody inkeep in somethingkeep in with somebodyVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “keep in” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- You should keep the documents in a safe place.
- The teacher kept him in for detention.
- Do try to keep in with the neighbours.
American English
- Keep the receipt in case you need to return it.
- They kept the suspect in for questioning.
- It's important to keep in practice with your instrument.
adverb
British English
- He stayed keep-in throughout the meeting.
- The documents were filed keep-in with the new system.
American English
- She worked keep-in with company guidelines.
- The products are stored keep-in for quality control.
adjective
British English
- The keep-in lid prevents spills.
- She has a keep-in storage policy for old files.
American English
- This container has a keep-in freshness seal.
- Their keep-in touch policy helps team morale.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used for resource management ('We keep inventory in the warehouse') and relationship maintenance ('Keep in touch with clients').
Academic
Appears in instructions ('Keep this variable in mind') and process descriptions ('The solution was kept in a sterile container').
Everyday
Common for food storage ('Keep milk in the fridge'), social connections ('Let's keep in touch'), and emotion control ('Keep your anger in').
Technical
In computing ('keep data in cache'), medicine ('keep patient in isolation'), or engineering ('keep pressure in the system').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “keep in”
- Incorrect: 'I keep always in touch' (adverb placement) → Correct: 'I always keep in touch'
- Incorrect: 'She keeps in her emotions' (awkward when separable) → Better: 'She keeps her emotions in'
- Incorrect: 'We keep in the food refrigerator' (article/preposition) → Correct: 'We keep the food in the refrigerator'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It's separable: you can say 'keep the secret in' or 'keep in the secret', though the former is more common with pronouns ('keep it in').
'Keep in' involves containment or maintenance within boundaries, while 'keep on' means to continue doing something ('keep on working') or to retain something on a surface ('keep the lid on').
Yes, figuratively: 'keep your anger in', 'keep emotions in check' meaning to control or suppress them.
Yes, it's a fixed expression meaning to maintain contact with someone, even though it follows the literal meaning of the phrasal verb.
To retain or maintain something within a specified boundary, container, or relationship.
Keep in is usually neutral to informal (depending on context); common in spoken and written english. in register.
Keep in: in British English it is pronounced /kiːp ɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /kip ɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “keep in with someone (stay friendly)”
- “keep in the dark (not inform)”
- “keep in check (control)”
- “keep in mind (remember)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a KEEPer in football trying to keep the ball IN the goal area – preventing it from going out.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTAINMENT IS CONTROL (keeping something within boundaries equals maintaining power over it); CONTINUITY IS PRESERVATION (keeping something in a state equals preventing change).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'keep in' correctly?