Meaning & Origin
“In the pipeline” describes work that is already started or officially planned — moving through stages toward release or delivery. The image comes from pipes carrying something from one end to the other, suggesting progress through a process or system.
Pronunciation Guide
- pipeline — stress the first syllable: PIPE‑line.
- in the — often reduced to “in thuh.”
- Natural rhythm: in the PIPE‑line.
Usage & Sentence Examples
Use it for products, hires, content, or any projects that are underway or officially queued.
- A mobile redesign is in the pipeline for winter.
- Three senior hires are in the pipeline pending references.
- We’ve got two films in the pipeline with the same director.
- Security updates are in the pipeline after the audit.
- There’s a price change in the pipeline — expect details next week.
- The lab has several vaccines in the pipeline at different trial phases.
Synonyms
in progress · underway · upcoming · pending · queued · in the works · on the way
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