in sight
Talking about visibility
Use in sight when something is visible or can be seen.
No buildings were in sight.
The finish line came in sight.
“In sight” or “of sight”?
In sight is a common English expression meaning visible. Of sight alone is not standard; English usually says out of sight or line of sight.
Quick answer
Which expression is correct?
Use in sight when something can be seen. Of sight alone is not idiomatic. Common related expressions are out of sight and line of sight.
Land was finally in sight.
Keep the child in sight at all times.
Keep the child in sight at all times.
Choose the pattern by meaning
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
keep + object + in sight
Talking about watching carefully
Use this pattern for maintaining visual contact.
Please keep the exit in sight.
The guard kept the suspect in sight.
out of sight
Talking about something not visible
Use out of sight for things that cannot be seen.
The ship disappeared out of sight.
She hid the gifts out of sight.
line of sight
Talking about a direct visual path
Use line of sight in technical or spatial contexts.
A tree blocked our line of sight.
The camera needs a clear line of sight.
See the difference in context
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Construction
Example
Meaning
in sight
The mountains are in sight.
correct expression meaning visible
of sight
out of sight
of sight alone is incomplete in standard English
out of sight
The plane vanished out of sight.
correct expression meaning no longer visible
line of sight
The wall interrupted the line of sight.
correct technical expression for visual connection
Common mistakes
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Using of sight alone
English does not normally use of sight as a fixed phrase.
✕ The island was of sight. ✓ The island was in sight.Confusing in sight with on sight
Use in sight for visibility.
✕ The tower is on sight. ✓ The tower is in sight.Omitting out in out of sight
The full phrase is out of sight.
✕ The bird flew of sight. ✓ The bird flew out of sight.Using line of sight for general visibility
Line of sight is more technical than in sight.
✕ The hotel is line of sight from here. ✓ The hotel is in sight from here.Quick practice
Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
1. The rescue boat is now ___ sight.
2. The car disappeared out ___ sight.
3. A wall blocked our line ___ sight.
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Frequently asked questions
What does “in sight” mean?
It means visible or able to be seen.
Is “of sight” correct by itself?
No. English normally uses out of sight or line of sight instead.
What is the difference between “in sight” and “line of sight”?
In sight means visible generally, while line of sight refers to a direct visual path between two points.
Related preposition guides
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