chisel in

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To barge in on something; to be a third wheel; to insinuate oneself into a situation or relationship; to get oneself involved in something.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Xâm nhập vào một tình huống hoặc mối quan hệ

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Ignore him, he's only here because he chiseled in.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

To unfairly push in on (something); to gain a role in (something unsavory); to acquire a partial interest in (something) through deceit.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Ép buộc tham gia vào một việc gì đó không công bằng

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Register: slang

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “chisel in” mean?

To barge in on something; to be a third wheel; to insinuate oneself into a situation or relationship; to get oneself involved in something.

Is “chisel in” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.