all-in

1 of 2

adjective (1)

1
chiefly British : all-inclusive
2
chiefly British : being almost without restrictions
all-in wrestling

all in

2 of 2

adjective (2)

variants or less commonly all-in
1
: tired, exhausted
Atticus said as tactfully as he could that he just didn't think he could stand a pageant tonight, he was all in.Harper Lee
Inside, the invalid had gone to bed; her mother said, "She was all in," and expressed pity for her, for the first time.Edna O'Brien
2
: fully committed to or involved in something
The Diamondbacks are all-in for this year. It's why they brought in J. D. Martinez at the trade deadline. They have a healthy mix of young and veteran players, and they're looking to make a run this October.Kevin Skiver
often used in the phrase go all in
With my bonus in tow, I got the far-fetched idea I didn't feel like working that type of pace anymore. So I went all in on real estate on my own.Philip Michael

Note: In poker, to go all in is to bet everything on a hand.

The best my opponent could have at this point was a 5-high straight, so I went all in—my full $220,000 was riding on this hand. The last card was a Jack—and I was out.John Grochowski

Examples of all-in in a Sentence

Adjective (1) all-in seven-day tour of Scotland Adjective (2) was all in after an evening of dancing and partying
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
That won’t be the case this season; the Lakers are all-in on Luka heliocentricism, with James’ early absence due to sciatica making that commitment even more necessary. John Hollinger, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025 Of course, around her recent wedding to Benny Blanco, Gomez went all-in on bridal whites, and for their newlywed debut on the red carpet at the Academy Museum Gala, both opted for sumptuous, all-black Armani. Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025 On Floors, Walls, and Ceiling Famed interior designer Emily Henderson went all-in on warm oak for her brother’s home project, cladding the floors, walls, and ceiling a gorgeous oak wood plank. Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2025 Durant, 37, reportedly signed a two-year extension worth $90 million with the team on Sunday and the move to acquire the 15-time NBA All-Star hints that the franchise is all-in this season. Ben Morse, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for all-in

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (2)

1901, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of all-in was in 1886

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“All-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-in. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!