dig in

verb

dug in; digging in; digs in

transitive verb

1

: to cover or incorporate by burying

dig in compost

2

: to establish in a dug defensive position

the platoon was well dug in

intransitive verb

1

: to establish a defensive position especially by digging trenches

2

a

: to go resolutely to work

b

: to begin eating

3

: to hold stubbornly to a position

4

: to scuff the ground for better footing while batting (as in baseball)

see also:

dig in one's heels

Examples of dig in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Pro evaluation specialist Meg Evans filed a scouting report on Miles, and Toronto’s Rule 5 group, led by John Babocsi and Nick Manno, decided to dig in further. —Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 26 May 2026

The stretchy fabric moves with you, the waistband stays put without digging in, and the pockets are roomy enough to hold your phone, passport, or snacks without feeling bulky. —Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 24 May 2026

No sub-tweeting, no digs in the press, just two dudes with a minor disagreement hashing it out man-to-man and then moving on. —Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026

The relaxed fit feels airy on warm days, while the elastic waistband stretches comfortably without pinching or digging in. —Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for dig in

• trigone

Kids Definition

dig in

verb

1

: to dig and take position in a trench

the soldiers dug in

2

a

: to go to work

b

: to begin eating