in-and-out

[ in-uhnd-out, -uhn- ]

adjective

1. in or participating in a particular job, investment, etc., for a short time and then out, especially after realizing a quick profit.

noun

1. Manège. an obstacle consisting of two fences placed too far apart to be cleared in one jump and too close together to allow more than one or two strides between.

Word History and Origins

Origin of in-and-out¹

First recorded in 1640–50, for an earlier sense

Example Sentences

The cumulative total over the years does not necessarily refer to individual pensioners, who could move in and out of relative poverty over time depending on their personal circumstances.

From BBC

When she was photographed or filmed going in and out of the courthouse in Manhattan where her defamation lawsuit against Trump was heard, we saw a poised, well-dressed woman walking or standing with her attorney.

From Salon

Garbed in a monochromatic cream outfit, he danced energetically and grinned wide while he sang deeply emotional and reflective songs like “Suspended” off his 2023-album “Lahai” — “I was in and out, but drowning more and more / Sipping on red wine, I spilled it on the floor / Then I find myself, all washed up by the shore.”

From Los Angeles Times

Labor Department’s wage and hour division, said operators like Mr. Perez go “in and out of business under multiple names,” skirting responsibility by creating a “game of Whac-a-Mole.”

From New York Times

Focus by sliding the inner tube in and out until the image becomes clear.

From National Geographic Kids

Related Words

• assiduously
• carefully
• completely
• comprehensively
• conscientiously
• earnestly
• efficiently
• extremely
• fully
• highly
• intensely
• intensively
• meticulously
• painstakingly
• scrupulously
• very
• wholly