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

Instead of backing off of their support for the proposal, its Republican supporters are digging in — a sign of how intractable the fight over immigration policy is, even among Trump-supporting Republicans. —Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 22 Apr. 2026

The Thunder dug in their heels through two Game 7s, a title run and a season of ravaging injury luck. —Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2026

Iran’s ayatollahs and Revolutionary Guards have dug in deeper and show surprising power to hold major enemies at bay. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026

Diners dig in surrounded by a dizzying mishmash of décor, like a rotating roster of VHS tapes that play on a projector screen or artwork sourced from longtime customers and Indiana's finest Goodwill stores. —Usa Today Network, USA Today, 17 Apr. 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