# sign in

CEFR A2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sign-in
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to write your name on a list or enter your details into a computer to show you have arrived or started using a service.

For teachers: to record one's arrival at a location or to gain access to a computer system by providing credentials. The verb is often intransitive but can be transitive and separable when recording someone else's arrival.

## Examples

- You sign in at the front desk when you arrive.
- Before you can access your emails, you need to sign in with your username and password.
- Security protocols mandate that all visitors sign in at the reception desk to ensure an accurate headcount in the event of an emergency evacuation.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I signed in the website." but "I signed in to the website." — The phrasal verb requires the preposition 'to' before a digital destination.

## Usage notes

- Use 'at' for physical locations and 'to' for websites or digital accounts.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'check in', which is specific to hotels and airports, whereas 'sign in' is used for offices and websites.

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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.