1
: a return of a part of a sum received often because of confidential agreement or coercion
every city contract had been let with a ten percent kickback to city officials—
D. K. Shipler
D. K. Shipler2
: a sharp violent reaction
kicked back; kicking back; kicks back
: to assume a relaxed position or attitude
also
: to spend time relaxing : take it easy
spent the weekend just kicking back
Examples of kickback in a Sentence
Noun
Several company executives were accused of accepting kickbacks.
Verb
I plan to spend the day kicking back and watching television.
a good resort for people who want to kick back and watch others exercise strenuously
Recent Examples on the WebLisa Cavazuti, NBC News, 25 Oct. 2023
Birth Home, bringing cool, kickback feels with upscale leanings.
—Essence, 25 Oct. 2023
China’s healthcare system has long been rife with accusations of hospitals over-prescribing treatments to inflate bills or taking kickbacks from pharmaceutical representatives to procure and prescribe overpriced medicines, which in China are distributed at in-house pharmacies.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN, 24 Aug. 2023
Williams and the physicians received kickback payments from the fraudulent claims the other participants submitted, prosecutors said.
—Christian Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2023
Safety features include a chain brake that halts the chain almost immediately in case of kickback.
—Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 July 2023
Freedom recommended a Glock 19: compact, with minimal kickback.
—Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2023
The modus operandi, says Adrian Cheek, an independent security researcher based in Canada, is almost always the same: A cybercriminal organization develops a template for a fake crypto trading site and, in exchange for a kickback, hands it to other criminal affiliates who perform the scam.
—Joel Khalili, WIRED, 7 Sep. 2023
That includes moves like bird-dogs, fire hydrants, squat hops, plank rows, and tricep kickbacks.
—Korin Miller, Women's Health, 27 July 2023
Angelina Villa-Clarke, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Nov. 2023
Up in the main salon, the space is designed for kicking back, relaxing, and watching television.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 17 Nov. 2023
Family-friendly Offerings While few children appeared to be on the property during my stay, the resort has a legacy of family-friendly programming that ensures kids can stay active while parents kick back and relax.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 12 Nov. 2023
Now the tour is getting ready to kick back off in real life as Swift performs three concerts in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Nov. 9, 10 and 11.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 2 Nov. 2023
Despite Brooks’ hopes of getting Nicholson back to work, the screen legend just wants to kick back, according to actor and podcast host Marc Maron.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 11 Nov. 2023
Now after nearly four months in limbo, Marvel Studios is planning to kick back into high gear, with filming set to get up and running before Thanksgiving break.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 10 Nov. 2023
The youngest recruits to businesses may well not want to drink at all, thus alienating them from older managers who like to kick back with a tipple.
—Byeleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2023
Imagine kicking back in a hammock set high on a stargazer platform in an open pine savannah.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 3 Nov. 2023
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Noun
Hamas began to rake in taxes and kickbacks from salaries, sale of goods and smuggling, a sum that now reaches up to $300 million to $450 million a year, said Levitt, now at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy think tank.
—Lisa Cavazuti, NBC News, 25 Oct. 2023
Birth Home, bringing cool, kickback feels with upscale leanings.
—Essence, 25 Oct. 2023
China’s healthcare system has long been rife with accusations of hospitals over-prescribing treatments to inflate bills or taking kickbacks from pharmaceutical representatives to procure and prescribe overpriced medicines, which in China are distributed at in-house pharmacies.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN, 24 Aug. 2023
Williams and the physicians received kickback payments from the fraudulent claims the other participants submitted, prosecutors said.
—Christian Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2023
Safety features include a chain brake that halts the chain almost immediately in case of kickback.
—Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 July 2023
Freedom recommended a Glock 19: compact, with minimal kickback.
—Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2023
The modus operandi, says Adrian Cheek, an independent security researcher based in Canada, is almost always the same: A cybercriminal organization develops a template for a fake crypto trading site and, in exchange for a kickback, hands it to other criminal affiliates who perform the scam.
—Joel Khalili, WIRED, 7 Sep. 2023
That includes moves like bird-dogs, fire hydrants, squat hops, plank rows, and tricep kickbacks.
—Korin Miller, Women's Health, 27 July 2023
Verb
Many bedrooms overlook Baie de St Jean, and the individual design and quirky art give the feeling of kicking back in a private villa.
—Angelina Villa-Clarke, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Nov. 2023
Up in the main salon, the space is designed for kicking back, relaxing, and watching television.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 17 Nov. 2023
Family-friendly Offerings While few children appeared to be on the property during my stay, the resort has a legacy of family-friendly programming that ensures kids can stay active while parents kick back and relax.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 12 Nov. 2023
Now the tour is getting ready to kick back off in real life as Swift performs three concerts in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Nov. 9, 10 and 11.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 2 Nov. 2023
Despite Brooks’ hopes of getting Nicholson back to work, the screen legend just wants to kick back, according to actor and podcast host Marc Maron.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 11 Nov. 2023
Now after nearly four months in limbo, Marvel Studios is planning to kick back into high gear, with filming set to get up and running before Thanksgiving break.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 10 Nov. 2023
The youngest recruits to businesses may well not want to drink at all, thus alienating them from older managers who like to kick back with a tipple.
—Byeleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2023
Imagine kicking back in a hammock set high on a stargazer platform in an open pine savannah.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 3 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kickback.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Kickback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kickback. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
kickback
1 of 2 noun
kick·back
ˈkik-ˌbak 
: a secret return of part of a sum of money received
kick back
2 of 2 verb
Legal Definition
kickback
noun
kick·back
ˈkik-ˌbak
: a payment (as of money or property) made to one in a position to open up or control a source of income for the payor
convicted of receiving kickbacks for referrals
compare bribe, payoff
Note: A kickback is specifically a payment for income received or to be received. The word is usually not restricted to a return of funds.
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