1 B1 idiomatic informal
(British, informal) To stop doing something, especially a job, habit, or relationship.
"She finally packed in her job at the call centre and went back to college."
separable
pack in
B1 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To stop doing something, or to fit a large number of people or things into a space.
In plain English
Stop doing something you do regularly, or fill a place with lots of people.
What does "pack in" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To fit a large number of people or things tightly into a space or schedule.
"The organisers managed to pack in over 500 people for the launch event."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic informal
To attract large audiences; to draw crowds.
"The new show has been packing in audiences every night since it opened."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To pack things so they go into a space — the idiomatic 'quit' sense requires a conceptual leap.
Actually means
Stop doing something you do regularly, or fill a place with lots of people.
Usage tip
The 'quit' sense is primarily British English and is quite colloquial. The 'attract crowds' sense (e.g. 'the concert packed them in') is used in both British and American English.
Words that pair with "pack in"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
job smoking relationship crowds people audiences
How to conjugate "pack in"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
pack in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
packs in
he/she/it
Past simple
packed in
yesterday
Past participle
packed in
have + pp
-ing form
packing in
continuous
Hear "pack in" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "pack in" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "pack in"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.