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

Much of the original delay was because the feds demanded this new requirement but didn't give the states any money to implement it, so the states dug in until they got paid. —Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025

Before the interview with ABC News, the administration had dug in on its refusal to heed the Supreme Court order to help return Mr. Abrego Garcia, who is a Salvadoran migrant. —Zolan Kanno-Youngs, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025

Plus, they’re designed with a wide, mid-rise waistband for extra comfort without digging in. —Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2025

By and large, officials on either side appear to have dug in their heels. —Brooke Migdon, The Hill, 19 Apr. 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