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Glite Dictionary
to seal in

to seal in

15 3.9
Close something tightly so air, water, or flavor cannot escape
  • phrasal verb
  • /siːl ɪn/
translation icon : sellar
  • The fog has sealed us in so completely that we are traveling blind.

But now we're trying to go out, trying to unscrew this and I cannot 'cause it's vacuum sealed in there.

Examples

  • I make sure the grill is super high so the fat seals in the flavor of the steak.

    Blog text (21)

  • I would have liked to seal each of them in a giant bubble.

    Academic text (2003)

  • We use it to seal in the gas.

    Shooting Fish (1997)

  • So this stuff seals in the moisture from the oil.

  • And it just seals in the nails really nicely.

  • And then they seal it in an envelope, and they put a stamp on it.

    Queenpins (2021)

  • It seals in the freshness.

    Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013)

  • Without stopping, she tears through the plastic covering the doorway to seal in dust from the rest of the house.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Use a good moisturizer to seal in the moisture and prevent dryness.

    Blog text (16)

  • Use a lid to seal in the fresh flavor of the soup.

Synonyms

to seal
vsto seal in
457 2.5

To close something tightly to stop air or water getting in

focuses on preventing contents from escaping by closing tightly
to enclose
vsto seal in
84 3.7

Surround something completely, often with a wall or fence

targets preventing air or moisture escape rather than general surrounding
to lock in
vsto seal in
70 3.9

To keep something inside so it cannot escape by closing or locking

stresses preventing air or moisture escaping rather than only mechanical restraint
to encase
vsto seal in
34 4.9

To cover something completely so nothing can get in or out

is narrower, aiming to stop small leaks like air or moisture
to close up
vsto seal in
15 3.7

To bring the edges of something together so there is no gap

is more about tight containment of contents than simply joining edges
to occlude
vsto seal in
  • Specialized
5 8.4

Block an opening to stop the flow of liquid or air

focuses on keeping contents inside rather than merely blocking a channel
to seal off
vsto seal in
3 3.7

Close something tightly so nothing can get in or out

is about keeping contents inside rather than only blocking access
to stopper
vsto seal in
1 4.1

To close a container by putting something in its opening

relies on overall tight closure or covering to stop small leaks
to stopple
vsto seal in
  • Archaic
9.9

To close a bottle or jar with a small plug

uses full tight covering or sealing rather than only plugging a hole
to lute
vsto seal in
  • Specialized
9.9

To cover a joint or container with material so it does not leak

uses closing or covering generally rather than applying a sealing compound
to inclose
vsto seal in
  • Archaic
7.8

Surround something completely on all sides to shut it in

emphasizes airtight or watertight prevention of escape rather than mere closure
to shut in
vsto seal in
5.1

Surround something completely so it cannot get out or move

focuses on preventing tiny leaks and airflow rather than broad confinement

Antonyms

to let out
344 1.1

Allow someone or something to leave a place

release
149 3.6

The act of letting a liquid, gas, or energy flow out

How Contained

to lock in
70 3.9
to seal in
15 3.9
to enclose
84 3.7
to cover
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

seal in infinitive
sealed in past
sealed in past participle
sealing in present participle
seals in third person singular

Morphology

seal + in

The meaning 'to prevent something from escaping by closing tightly' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'seal' (to make airtight/watertight) with 'in' (inside), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer enclosing something. This verb + particle composition is common in English and has straightforward cross-linguistic equivalents, making it immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner.

Etymology

The verb seal in comes from the image of closing a jar: you seal the lid in place so air, flavor, or moisture cannot escape. So, it means 'to stop something like air, flavor, or moisture from escaping'.