1 B1 neutral
To position a vehicle so that another vehicle cannot leave its parking spot.
"Some idiot has parked me in again — I can't get out of my own driveway."
separable
park in
B1 neutral separable transitive
To trap someone's vehicle by parking directly behind or alongside it so they cannot drive away.
In plain English
When another car parks so close to yours that you can't move your car.
What does "park in" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic informal
(figurative, rare) To restrict someone's options or freedom of movement in a broader sense.
"The new regulations have effectively parked us in — we can't expand into new markets."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To park a vehicle in a position that encloses another.
Actually means
When another car parks so close to yours that you can't move your car.
Usage tip
Almost always used in the passive ('I've been parked in'). Common in British and Australian English. American English speakers may prefer 'box in' or 'block in'.
Words that pair with "park in"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
car vehicle driveway street lorry van
How to conjugate "park in"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
park in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
parks in
he/she/it
Past simple
parked in
yesterday
Past participle
parked in
have + pp
-ing form
parking in
continuous
Hear "park in" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "park in" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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