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dial it in

B2 informal mixed transitive
In simple words

Either to do something half-heartedly without really trying, or to get everything perfectly tuned for a great performance.

Literal meaning: To dial something inward to the correct frequency or setting.

Meanings

1 B2 idiomatic informal

To do something with very little effort or enthusiasm; to perform below one's abilities.

"Critics said the actor was just dialling it in for his third appearance in the franchise."

"He was just dialling it in at that point."

— Rolling Stone, review of a live concert (2018)
Grammar: mixed
2 C1 idiomatic informal

(Sports/performance) To achieve perfect calibration and peak, consistent performance.

"By the fourth heat, she had really dialled it in — every move was precise."

Grammar: mixed
Usage notes

Context-dependent and can mean opposite things. In criticism of an actor or athlete, 'dialling it in' means going through the motions without effort. In sports (especially surfing, motocross), 'dialling it in' means achieving perfect calibration. Predominantly American English. 'It' is fixed in the phrase.

Commonly used with

performance race routine set technique session

Forms

Base
dial it in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
dials it in
he/she/it
Past simple
dialed it in
yesterday
Past participle
dialed it in
have + pp
-ing form
dialing it in
continuous

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Synonyms

phone it in go through the motions mail it in nail it find the groove get dialled in

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