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kick in

verb

kicked in; kicking in; kicks in
Synonyms of kick innext

intransitive verb

1
: to begin operating or having an effect : get started
waiting for the heater to kick in
2
: to make a contribution
3
slang : die

Examples of kick in in a Sentence

if everyone in the department kicks in, we can give him an especially nice present for his retirement the ornery cuss finally kicked in at the ripe old age of 90
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Democrats plan to stick to their plan of slamming the bill, even though the tightening of Medicaid eligibility won’t kick in until after the 2026 elections, aiming to maintain a united front on healthcare policy ahead of the midterm elections. Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 7 Dec. 2025 On Sunday, before ticketing and towing commenced, some of the city’s alert systems kicked in a few hours later than usual. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 6 Dec. 2025 The compensation kicks in for significant delays within the airline's control and generally mirrors offerings for controllable cancellations. Eve Chen, USA Today, 5 Dec. 2025 After that runs out, money from the county’s affordable housing fund, Home for All, will kick in. Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 5 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for kick in

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of kick in was in 1906

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kick in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kick%20in. Accessed 9 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

kick in

verb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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