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)

Phrases

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

There are additional wooden tables below on a narrow stretch of beach, where the children in our party enjoyed digging in the sand for shells and other treasures. —Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 28 June 2025

National reporters and true crime junkies dug in, while local officials — already lacquered in scandal — looked so crooked a frame job seemed not just possible but probable. —Tom Blakely, Boston Herald, 27 June 2025

Johnson had 27 kills and 13 digs in the team’s district championship win. —Alex Kushel, Sun Sentinel, 20 June 2025

The governor of New Mexico, who has spoken out against the Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance project, also dug in her heels after learning of the Supreme Court decision. —Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1827, 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