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

The super soft, breathable material molds to your foot, while the collar is designed to rest on top of your skin loosely, without that tight, digging in feeling. — ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026

In Children Playing on the Beach, 1884, two pudgy and sunburned girls dig in the sand. — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026

At the Idaho site, the EPA requires people to request permits from a local health district before digging in their yards. — Chris Bowling, ProPublica, 4 Aug. 2026

Even as Miller digs in, Republicans are weighing who could replace the 37-year-old lawmaker on the ballot. — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 3 Aug. 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