What Does "Phone In" Mean?
"Phone in" is an English idiom. It means "to complete a task, job, or performance with minimal effort, enthusiasm, or attention to detail; to do something in a lazy or perfunctory manner."Examples in Sentences
Here are three examples of the idiom "phone in" used in a sentence:- Instead of giving a proper presentation, he decided to phone it in, reading directly from the slides.
- She seemed to be phoning in her performance lately, lacking the passion she once had for her work.
- Don't just phone in your work; give it your best effort, and it will pay off.

What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Phone In" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.
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