Pronunciation: /hɛmd ɪn/

Definitions of hemmed in

verb to surround or restrict someone or something

Example Sentences

A1 The cat felt hemmed in by the dog and ran away.

A2 She was hemmed in by the crowd and couldn't move.

B1 The students were hemmed in by deadlines and exams.

B2 The company felt hemmed in by competition from larger firms.

C1 The politician was hemmed in by scandal and controversy.

C2 The artist felt hemmed in by the constraints of traditional techniques.

adverb in a manner that surrounds or restricts someone or something

Example Sentences

A1 The little puppy felt hemmed in by the tall fence.

A2 She was hemmed in by the crowd and couldn't move.

B1 The car was hemmed in by parked vehicles on both sides.

B2 The hikers felt hemmed in by the dense forest around them.

C1 The politician felt hemmed in by the media scrutiny on his every move.

C2 The CEO was hemmed in by the legal restrictions of the merger deal.

Examples of hemmed in in a Sentence

formal The building was hemmed in by tall skyscrapers on all sides.

informal I feel so hemmed in by all these rules and regulations.

slang I'm totally hemmed in by my crazy schedule right now.

figurative Her anxiety hemmed her in, making it hard to see a way out of the situation.

Grammatical Forms of hemmed in

past tense

hemmed in

plural

hemmed in

comparative

more hemmed in

superlative

most hemmed in

present tense

hem in

future tense

will hem in

perfect tense

have hemmed in

continuous tense

is hemming in

singular

hemmed in

positive degree

hemmed in

infinitive

to hem in

gerund

hemming in

participle

hemmed in

Origin and Evolution of hemmed in

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The phrase 'hemmed in' originated from the Old English word 'hemian' meaning to surround or enclose.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the phrase 'hemmed in' has retained its original meaning of being surrounded or enclosed, but it has also taken on a figurative sense of feeling restricted or confined in a situation.