# incoming

/ˈɪnˌkəmɪŋ/ (US) · /ˈɪnkʌmˌɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/incoming
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. arriving

adjective · CEFR B2

arriving or coming in now.

For teachers: describing something that is currently arriving or about to arrive.

- The hotel staff worked quickly to prepare for the incoming guests.
- The system is designed to filter all incoming emails for potential security threats before they reach the main server.

### 2. starting a new role

adjective · CEFR B2 · Formal

starting a new job or position, especially in government or a company.

For teachers: succeeding to an office, position, or role.

- The incoming president promised to make many changes in his first month.
- The incoming administration faces the immediate challenge of stabilising the economy while maintaining public confidence.

### 3. enemy fire

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

bullets or bombs that are being shot at you.

For teachers: enemy fire, such as artillery or missiles, directed at one's own position.

- The soldiers dove into the trench to hide from the incoming.
- The unit was pinned down by heavy incoming, making it impossible to coordinate a safe extraction of the wounded.

## Examples

- I have a lot of incoming to deal with this morning.
- The office manager struggled to keep up with the incoming of emails and phone calls after the holiday weekend.
- The soldiers dove for cover as soon as they heard the whistle of incoming, knowing the artillery barrage would likely last for several minutes before the ground assault began.

---

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.