in place

adjective

In an original position.

“The girders were carefully set in place.”

Similar
in situ
Opposite
out of place
First used 14th–16th c.
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Meanings

adjectivein place (not comparable)
  1. not comparableIn an original position.
  2. not comparableIn a proper position.
  3. not comparableEstablished; in operation.
adverbin place (not comparable)
  1. not comparableInto a proper or intended position; into place.

    The girders were carefully set in place.

    Antonyms: out of place

  2. not comparableInto a state of deployment or implementation.

    New procedures were put in place.

    2 more examples

    He draws eclectically on studies of baboons, descriptive anthropological accounts of hunter-gatherer societies and, in a few cases, the fossil record. With this biological framework in place, Corning endeavors to show that the capitalist system as currently practiced in the United States and elsewhere is manifestly unfair.

    2012 March-April, John T. Jost, “Social Justice: Is It in Our Nature (and Our Future)?”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 13 Feb 2012, page 162

    Asked if such a service could be put in place again, rather than buses, Mellors said: "I think the key thing is the first two weeks of January are pretty unique, in so far as the renewal of a bridge over the M6 at Penrith is very much a once-in-a-generation project.

    2025 October 1, David Stubbings, “News: S&C to carry AWC services during West Coast closure”, in RAIL, number 1045, page 17
  3. CanadaUSnot comparableWithout changing position.

    They ran in place with full packs for an hour.

    1 more example

    In the event of a radiation leak, shelter in place: do not attempt to find a community shelter.

  4. not comparableobsoleteTo a particular place; so as to be present or nearby.First known use 14th–16th c.

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbInto a proper or intended position; into place.

Opposite
out of place

More synonyms by meaning

adverbin the original or natural place or site

Similar
in situ
Also see
establishedin operationin situinto placeon the spot

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Finnish paikallaan, paikalleen
  • paikallaanin original position
  • paikalleenin original position
  • paikallaanin proper position
  • kohdallaanin proper position
  • paikalleenin proper position
  • kohdalleenin proper position
  • toiminnassain operation
  • käytössäin operation
  • käyttöönin operation
  • paikallaanwithout changing position
  • paikalleeninto position
  • kohdalleeninto position
  • käytössäin or into operation
  • käyttöönin or into operation
Hungarian helyben
  • helybenwithout changing position
Polish na miejscu, na miejscu
  • na miejscuin original position
  • na miejscuin proper position
  • na miejscuin operation
  • na miejscuwithout changing position
  • na miejscuinto position
  • na miejscuin or into operation
Cite this entry
APA

in place. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20place

MLA

“in place.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20place. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in place,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20place.

Source: in place on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.