hems in

VERB

enclose, restrict

Synonyms

WEAK

begird beset border bound cage circle circumscribe close in confine corral define edge encircle encompass envelop environ fence fringe girdle hedge in immure margin pen rim ring round shut shut in skirt surround verge

Antonyms

WEAK

let go release

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

hems in

“That's why the young people are agitating right now for change,” he says, suggesting they are frustrated by a corrupt political system that hems in their potential.

From BBC ● Nov. 29, 2024

Along with Japan's neighbouring island of Okinawa, Taiwan hems in Beijing's forces.

From Reuters ● Jun. 7, 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic hems in Veterans Day events this year so groups throughout the region are finding ways to honor veterans safely.

From Washington Times ● Nov. 11, 2020

They included block-like fur trims on cuffs and hems in the coat-heavy 32-look collection with classic tailoring in knit fabric.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 20, 2018

The serene and impartial day that arches from verge to verge in War and Peace, the blackness that hems in the ominous circle of the Brothers Karamazov—it is a perfect contrast.

From The Craft of Fiction by Percy Lubbock