1 B1 neutral
To pull something heavy, such as a fishing net or rope, toward you and inward.
"The fishermen hauled in their nets before the storm hit."
separable
haul in
B1 informal separable transitive
To pull or drag something or someone in with effort; to earn a large amount of money.
In plain English
To pull something or someone inside with effort, or to earn a lot of money.
What does "haul in" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic informal
To earn or receive a large amount of money.
"The blockbuster film hauled in over $200 million in its opening weekend."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic informal
To bring a person to a place of authority, especially for questioning or arrest.
"The suspect was hauled in for questioning after his car was seen near the crime scene."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To drag a heavy load inward.
Actually means
To pull something or someone inside with effort, or to earn a lot of money.
Usage tip
Used literally in fishing (haul in a catch), nautical contexts, and for bringing people to authority. The figurative sense of earning money is common in informal American English. Police use it to mean arresting or summoning someone.
Words that pair with "haul in"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
catch net fish profit revenue suspect
How to conjugate "haul in"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
haul in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
hauls in
he/she/it
Past simple
hauled in
yesterday
Past participle
hauled in
have + pp
-ing form
hauling in
continuous
Hear "haul in" in the wild
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