dig in

verb

dug in; digging in; digs in

Definition of dig 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

2a : 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)

dig in one's heels

: to take or persist in an uncompromising position or attitude despite opposition

Examples of dig in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Senior Elise Henderson picked up her 1,000th career dig in the match. — James Weber, The Enquirer, "Kentucky state high school volleyball: Notre Dame advances in state tourney, Scott falls," 3 Nov. 2020 The roots of the Show Grandmas dig in more by the day. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Column: ‘Show Grandmas’ lean on Aztecs basketball for healing, hope," 26 Dec. 2020 The Vella fits the bill, with wide armholes that don’t dig in, cross straps in the back that don’t tangle, and just-right coverage in the front. — The Editors, Outside Online, "The Gear Our Editors Loved in November," 4 Dec. 2020 More takeout clamshell boxes than ever will be in use — in fact, takeout will be the only way to dig in. — Steve Rubenstein, SFChronicle.com, "‘Unlike anything we’ve ever seen’: Bay Area charities brace for a pandemic Thanksgiving," 14 Nov. 2020 Fire up Zoom and dig in, and even virtual celebrations will still feel traditional. — Lesley Kennedy, CNN Underscored, "The yummiest, prettiest holiday gift baskets for everyone on your list," 14 Dec. 2020 Don’t accuse her of anything, don’t dig in and defend your way as the right way. — Author: Wayne And Wanda, Anchorage Daily News, "My best friend keeps making snide comments about how easy I have it now that I work from home," 29 Nov. 2020 Lukashenko, who has run the former Soviet nation with an iron fist since 1994, has accused the West of fueling the protests and relied on support from his main sponsor and ally, Russia, to dig in. — Fox News, "Former Belarus basketball star Yelena Leuchanka reflects on jail time for protest," 25 Nov. 2020 Lukashenko, who has run the ex-Soviet nation with an iron fist since 1994, has accused the West of fueling the protests and relied on support from his main sponsor and ally, Russia, to dig in. — Bloomberg.com, "Police in Belarus Disperse Another Protest, Detain Scores," 17 Oct. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dig in.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

14 Feb 2021

Cite this Entry

“Dig in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dig%20in. Accessed 5 Mar. 2021.

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