Meaning & use
sucking it in
Last updated
“sucking it in” is a form of “suck it in”.
Meanings
phrasephrasal verbinformal
Pulling your stomach muscles inward, often to look thinner or to fit into tight clothing.
Grammar: Used as a continuous verb phrase; the pronoun 'it' stays between 'sucking' and 'in'.
Patterns
- be sucking it in
- suck it in
She was sucking it in so hard that she could barely breathe.
He kept sucking it in every time he walked past the mirror.
If you're sucking it in all day, your back will start to ache.
phrasephrasal verbinformal
Holding back or suppressing an emotion, especially tears or sobs.
Grammar: Often used with 'try' or 'keep'; the object 'it' refers to the feeling.
Patterns
- try sucking it in
- keep sucking it in
She was sucking it in, trying not to cry in front of everyone.
He stood there sucking it in, refusing to show how upset he was.
Common combinations
- sucking it in for the photo
- Everyone was sucking it in for the photo.
- keep sucking it in
- She had to keep sucking it in to button her jeans.
- sucking it in all day
- Sucking it in all day is exhausting.
- stop sucking it in
- Stop sucking it in and just relax.
Synonyms and how they differ
- holding it in
- Used more for emotions or urine, not for the stomach; 'sucking it in' is specifically about pulling the belly inward.
- pulling it in
- Similar but less common; 'sucking it in' is the standard informal phrase for the stomach.
Opposites
Word family
- suck verb
- To draw something in with the mouth or to pull inward.
- suck it up phrase
- To accept a difficult situation without complaining.
Commonly confused: sucking it in or sucking up?
sucking it in vs sucking up
Means trying to please someone in authority to get an advantage, not pulling in your stomach.
Practice
She was ___ to make her waist look smaller in the dress.
Choose one answer.
'Sucking it in' means pulling your stomach inward, which fits the context of looking slimmer. 'Sucking it up' means accepting something unpleasant, 'sucking up' means flattering someone, and 'sucking on it' means putting something in your mouth.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sucking it in”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.