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

Two Hollywood titans linking up is bound to yield some impressive results, but fans will have to dig in and wait until 2028. — David Hookstead Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026

Wildcats senior Jordyn Lehman set a school record for digs in a match with 41. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026

By late August, all sides were dug in after various proposals had been issued and objected to. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026

On the other end of the spectrum, though, the genre’s creators have dug in periodically on the hardest parts of growing old. — Tom Roland, Billboard, 21 Oct. 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