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

Kansas’ three Democratic governor hopefuls dug in on the issues and took shots at each other’s integrity and effectiveness in an hourlong Tuesday-evening television debate hosted by Topeka’s WIBW. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026

The nylon-spandex blend offers lightweight, just-right stretch while a high-rise elastic waistband lays flat without digging in. — Better Homes & Gardens, 22 July 2026

Ultimately, past history casts a lot of doubt that cutting these categories is something the TV Academy will dig in its heels on, so we could be bound for a positive update. — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 21 July 2026

As the sides dig in heading into the final months before a potential lockout, here’s the data and the viewpoints from both sides. — Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 20 July 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