‘Check In On You’: Definition, Meaning, and Examples

By Sophia Merton, updated on December 9, 2022

Did someone tell you they were going to ‘check in on you’ and you’re not sure what it means? In this article, we’ll explore the meaning of this phrase, sentence examples, and more.

In a nutshell, when a person expresses that they are going to ‘check in on you’ they are saying that they are going to actively monitor your condition, status, safety, or well-being.

What Does ‘Check In On You” Mean?

If someone says they are going to ‘check in on you,’ it means that they are going to monitor your safety, condition, well-being, or status actively. For example, if you are staying at a friend’s house and you fall sick with a cold, your friend might leave you to rest and tell you that they will ‘check in on you’ in a little while.

You can use the phrase to communicate that you’re going to look in on something or someone by changing the pronoun or noun.

If you’re waiting outside a grocery store for your mother to finish up shopping and it seems like she’s taking longer than usual, you might tell your sibling that you’re going to ‘check in on’ your mother. In a situation where you are waiting for a program to download on your computer and you are busying yourself with another activity in the meantime, you could say that you’re going to ‘check in on’ your computer when you take a look to see if the download is complete.

‘Check In On’ Vs. ‘Check Into’ Vs. ‘Check Up On’ Vs. ‘Check In With’

There are a number of English phrases that begin with the word ‘check’ and have similar meanings.

While ‘check in on’ is a way to express that you’re going to monitor or look into someone or something’s wellbeing, safety, or state, ‘check into’ is a way to say that you’re going to investigate something, typically in a one-time fashion.

For example, a teacher that gives their classroom an exam might leave the room and tell the students that they will ‘check in on’ them in an hour. However, it wouldn’t be right for the teacher to say that she will ‘check into’ them. If a student asked the teacher if it was going to rain this afternoon, though, it would be proper for her to say that she’ll ‘check into it.’

The phrase ‘check on’ is also used to express the act of looking at something or someone in order to make sure that they are satisfactory, well, or safe. If you go to a clothing store, for example, an employee might ask if you need any help. When you tell them that you’re all set, they could say something along the lines of “I’ll ‘check up’ on you in a little while to see if you have any questions.”

‘Check up on you’ is another phrase that starts with ‘check’ that has a similar meaning as ‘check in on you.’ This phrase means to scrutinize, inspect, or investigate, such as your new boss telling you that he’ll ‘check up on you from time to time.’

Finally, when someone says that they’re going to ‘check in with you,’ it means that they are going to talk to you at a later time (sometime’s specified in the sentence) to find out new information or report new information. For instance, your coworker might tell you that they’re going to ‘check in with you’ next week to ask about vendors for the new project.

Another related and common phrase is ‘checking in,’ which can be used as a way to communicate with someone to provide or ask for a status update. It’s also the phrase used to describe confirming one’s arrival at a place where one is expected, such as a hotel, airport, or conference.

Examples of ‘Check In On You’ In Sentences

How would you use ‘check in on you’ in a sentence? Let’s take a look at some examples.

  • “I’m so sorry that you’re not feeling well. I’ll check in on you this afternoon to see if you want me to pick you up any medicine from the pharmacy.”
  • “I can’t believe you haven’t even begun the project yet. I’ll check in on you tomorrow and see if you’ve made any progress.”
  • Thanks everybody, for attending my workshop today. Go ahead and start working on the exercise, and I’ll check in on you in thirty minutes.”
  • “I hope you all will bear with me while we work out the bugs in this software. Please let me know if you’re having any trouble, and I will otherwise check in on you from time to time.”

Now let’s explore examples of ‘check in on’ in sentences with a different pronoun or noun acting as the direct object in the sentence. In ‘check in on you,’ ‘you’ is the direct object. A direct object is a pronoun or a noun that answers ‘whom?’ or ‘what?’ in a sentence after the verb and completes the meaning of the sentence. Rather than referring back to the subject, the direct object receives the action of the verb.

For instance, if you said you were going to ‘check in on Suzy,’ ‘Suzy’ is the direct object.

  • “Before we go to the movies, I need to check in on my grandmother to see if she’s feeling better.”
  • I’m going to call the auto shop to check in on my car this morning. It should be ready to pick up by now.”
  • “After several hours passed, Jim realized that the farm was unusually quiet. He put on his boots and went to check in on the sheep.”
  • “Are you going to check in on me before you go to the airport?”
  • “Would you check in on the exchange students before lunch? I want to make sure they have everything they need to be comfortable here.”
  • “What kind of person doesn’t check in on their own son when they’re in the hospital?”

Are you ready to learn more English phrases to help bring your writing and speech to the next level? Be sure to check out our idioms blog full of fun and interesting phrases.

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Written By:
Sophia Merton
Sophia Merton is one of the lead freelance writers for WritingTips.org. Sophia received her BA from Vassar College. She is passionate about reading, writing, and the written word. Her goal is to help everyone, whether native English speaker or not, learn how to write and speak with perfect English.

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