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

On March 30, investigators also dug in the dirt under a concrete patio that Rodriguez-Singh paid to have built in the back yard on Wisteria Drive. —Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Aug. 2025

Olyphant isn't the kind of actor who likes to dig in too deeply to the process of acting. —EW.com, 20 Aug. 2025

What began as a friendly rivalry between the groups soon turned into scathing digs in the media and blatant taunting on live TV. —Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 19 Aug. 2025

Abbas said the city promptly contacted MISS DIG — the state’s utility notification system that must be alerted before crews dig in areas of public utilities — and began repair work once cleared. —Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 18 Aug. 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