Meaning & use
inbound
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Traveling or coming toward a place, especially a destination or a city.
Grammar: Used before a noun: an inbound flight, inbound traffic. The opposite is outbound.
Patterns
- inbound flight
- inbound train
- inbound traffic
The inbound flight from Tokyo was delayed by two hours.
We got stuck in inbound traffic on the highway into the city.
The inbound train arrives at platform 3.
adjectivebefore a nounbusiness
In business, relating to communications or goods coming into a company from outside, such as calls or orders.
Grammar: Used before a noun: inbound calls, inbound marketing. Often contrasted with outbound.
Patterns
- inbound call
- inbound marketing
- inbound shipment
The call center handles hundreds of inbound calls every day.
Inbound marketing focuses on attracting customers through content rather than ads.
The warehouse is expecting an inbound shipment of electronics this afternoon.
adverb
Toward a place; in the direction of a destination.
Grammar: Used without an object, often after a verb of movement: travel inbound, fly inbound.
Patterns
- travel inbound
- fly inbound
- head inbound
The ship is traveling inbound toward the harbor.
We were flying inbound when the storm hit.
The police stopped the car as it headed inbound.
Common combinations
- inbound flight
- Her inbound flight lands at 6 p.m.
- inbound call
- The support team answered the inbound call quickly.
- inbound marketing
- They use inbound marketing to attract new clients.
- inbound traffic
- Inbound traffic is heavy during rush hour.
Synonyms and how they differ
- incoming
- Incoming means arriving or coming in, and is often used for calls, mail, or flights; inbound is more specific to movement toward a destination and is common in travel and logistics.
- arriving
- Arriving simply means reaching a place; inbound emphasizes the direction of travel toward a place.
Opposites
Word family
- inbounds noun
- In sports like basketball, a pass from out of bounds into the court.
Commonly confused: inbound or inboard?
inbound vs inboard
Inboard refers to something inside a boat or aircraft, such as an inboard motor. Inbound means coming toward a place.
Practice
The airline announced that the _____ flight from Paris would land in ten minutes.
Choose one answer.
Inbound means coming toward the airport, which fits a flight that is about to land. Outbound means leaving, inboard refers to a boat's motor, and inland means away from the coast.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “inbound”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.