Chime In in a Sentence: Meaning, Patterns & Practice

Chime in means to join a conversation by adding a remark of your own. To use chime in in a sentence, keep the particle attached and add the content with with: “Chime in with a better idea.” The phrasal verb is friendly and intransitive, so it never takes a direct object.

Chime in at a glance

• Chime in is an intransitive phrasal verb; chimed in and chiming in are its other forms.
• The particle in is fixed, so the verb is never split as chime a remark in.
• The usual follower is with plus the remark or idea you add.
• It belongs to relaxed, spoken registers rather than formal reports.
• The commonest error is using chime in when the interruption is rude, where butt in fits.

What does chime in mean?

Chime in is a phrasal verb meaning to join a discussion by adding a remark, usually one that supports or extends what others have said. A second, older sense describes sounds blending into a tune, and a third describes agreeing with a speaker. The Cambridge entry for chime in records the contribute-a-remark sense, and the tone is almost always welcome rather than intrusive.

One limitation is worth stating plainly. Chime in is not neutral about manners. It suggests an opening that was offered, or a gap in the talk that was genuinely free, so using it for an unwelcome interruption misleads the reader; butting in is the honest phrase when somebody talks over others.

Register matters as much as meaning here. Chime in appears far more often in speech, group chats and light journalism than in academic prose, where writers usually reach for add or contribute. The warmth is not accidental: the verb pictures one voice joining a group sound, so the remark arrives as an addition rather than a challenge.

How do you use chime in in a sentence?

Chime in is intransitive and its particle is fixed, so the remark you add follows with rather than sitting between the verb and in. The subject is always the person or thing doing the joining, never the remark itself.

Separability is the point learners trip on. A separable verb such as write up lets you say write the report up, but chime in does not, so the object can never slide between chime and in. Follow the verb with with plus the remark, or leave the remark out and let the particle close the phrase.

Chime in in a sentence: examples across contexts

Chime in changes register less than most phrasal verbs, but the setting shapes how welcome the addition sounds. These sentences move from a meeting to a radio phone-in, and each one keeps the particle with the verb.

The one sentence that sounds hesitant, the last one, shows the word working as intended: chime in describes a gap that existed, not a person seizing the floor.

Chime in vs weigh in and butt in

Chime in is one of three phrasal verbs for joining a discussion, and they differ in tone. Weigh in suggests a considered opinion with weight behind it, chime in suggests a light and welcome addition, and Butting in means cutting across others without being invited.

Verdict: choose chime in for a light remark that joins the flow, weigh in when the opinion carries authority, and butt in only when the interruption is unwelcome.

Word forms and grammar of chime in

Chime in behaves like a fixed intransitive phrase. Its forms are regular, but the particle stays put and the verb never takes a direct object.

Because the particle is fixed, chime the remark in is not English; the remark follows with, as in she chimed in with the meeting link.

Two more points keep sentences accurate. First, the subject is always a person, or occasionally an instrument joining a tune, never the remark itself, so the joke chimed in is wrong. Second, no comma belongs before with, because with introduces a phrase that belongs to the verb rather than an aside.

Common mistakes with chime in

• Incorrect: He chimed a joke in during the briefing. Correct: He chimed in with a joke during the briefing. Rule: Chime in is intransitive and inseparable, so the remark follows with.
• Incorrect: She chimed in a suggestion. Correct: She chimed in with a suggestion. Rule: The verb never takes a direct object; add with before the noun.
• Incorrect: The manager chimney in to correct the figures. Correct: The manager chimed in to correct the figures. Rule: Use the past form chimed, not the noun chimney.
• Incorrect: Stop chiming in when I am speaking. Correct: Stop butting in when I am speaking. Rule: Chime in is welcome; an unwelcome interruption is butting in.
• Incorrect: We will chime in the topic tomorrow. Correct: We will chime in on the topic tomorrow. Rule: Name the subject with on, or drop the topic entirely.

Practice using chime in

Work through the seven items, then read the reason beside each answer rather than only the key.

1. Fill the gap: Feel free to ______ in with your thoughts at the end.
2. Choose the better word: The witness (chimed in / butted in) with a clear description of the car.
3. Correct the error: She chimed in a useful warning.
4. Build a sentence: use chime in on about a community meeting and a new park.
5. Spot the register: which belongs in a staff email — Please chime in on the draft, or Everyone must chime in or else?
6. Rewrite with weigh in: The expert chimed in on the report. Use weigh in instead.
7. Change the tense: They chime in during every call. Put it in the past.

Answers

1. chime — the fixed phrase is chime in with, and the invitation makes it welcome.
2. chimed in — the witness added a helpful remark, whereas butting in would mean an unwelcome interruption.
3. She chimed in with a useful warning — the verb is intransitive, so with carries the remark.
4. Model answer: Residents chimed in on the new park at the community meeting.
5. Please chime in on the draft — a staff email keeps the friendly, optional tone; the second is a threat.
6. The expert weighed in on the report — weigh in gives the opinion more authority.
7. They chimed in during every call — the past form is chimed, with the particle unchanged.

The bottom line

Use chime in in a sentence when someone adds a light, welcome remark to a discussion already under way. The two nuances that decide most sentences are these: the particle in is fixed and the verb is intransitive, so the remark follows with, and the tone is friendly rather than intrusive. If the interruption is unwelcome, butt in is the phrase that tells the truth.

Frequently asked questions about chime in

Is chime in informal?

Chime in is relaxed rather than slang, so it fits a team meeting, a group chat and a friendly email without sounding out of place. It is too casual for a legal filing or a formal report, where add a comment or contribute reads better. The word keeps a warm, welcoming tone wherever it appears.

Can you chime in on a topic?

Yes, and on names the subject being joined, as in the engineer chimed in on the safety review. You can also use with for the remark itself, as in she chimed in with a correction. Both patterns keep the verb intransitive and the particle in untouched.

What is the past tense of chime in?

The past tense is chimed in, and the past participle is the same, as in three callers chimed in yesterday. The present participle is chiming in, as in thank you for chiming in. Only the verb changes; the particle in stays exactly where it is.

Is chime in rude?

No, chime in is the opposite of rude. It suggests an opening that was offered or a natural gap in the talk, so the addition feels welcome. Rude interruptions take butt in or cut in. Choosing chime in for an unwelcome remark is the mistake to avoid.