# this is where we came in

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/this-is-where-we-came-in
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Said of a situation which has become repetitive.

## Examples

- We are arguing about the same thing again; this is where we came in.
- After listening to the committee repeat the same complaints for an hour, I realized this is where we came in.
- As the debate circled back to the exact same points raised at the start of the session, the chairman sighed, noting that this is where we came in.

## Origin

The phrase originated in the early cinema, during an era when film programmes ran on a continuous loop rather than at scheduled showtimes. Patrons entered the theatre at their convenience, regardless of whether a feature had already commenced. Upon reaching the point in the repeating bill where they had first sat down, they would announce to their companions that this was where they came in, before departing the premises. The practice relied upon the audience's willingness to watch the conclusion of a narrative before seeing its beginning. It remained a standard habit of the cinema-going public until the mid-20th century, when fixed screenings became the preferred method for managing the flow of spectators.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.