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Be in the club vs Join the club

be in the club —(coll.) become pregnant (also: be in the pudding club):

  • When the doctor told me I was in the club I told him he was daft—that I’d never—well, you know.

join the club

1. (also: join the crowd) is used to tell that one has already had a similar, usually unfavorable, experience:

  • You think you’ll never be out of debt? Join the club.

2. be one of a number of people sharing smth. in common:

  • Men knew she was available to anyone who cared to take her out for an evening. Peter had avoided joining the club.

3. = be in the club:

  • It was not long into my girlfriend’s pregnancy that I realized it was not going to be fun. Between the time she “joined the club” and us knowing about it, she went decidedly mad.