kick in
verb
kicked in; kicking in; kicks in
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
Over the last 15 years, 23 players have kicked in at least 50 points at age 37 or beyond, including six last season.
—
Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 19 June 2025
The new pay package will kick in only if the split occurs by the end of next year.
—Chris Morris, Fortune, 18 June 2025
In Juneau, advisories will kick in when the temperature is forecast for 80 degrees or higher.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 18 June 2025
When the track properly kicks in, the drums, guitar strums, bassline, and vocals all receive plenty of attention and none is eclipsed by the others, though the vocals do sit just slightly in the background against the cymbals and bass.
—PC Magazine, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for kick in
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Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 19 June 2025
The new pay package will kick in only if the split occurs by the end of next year.
—Chris Morris, Fortune, 18 June 2025
In Juneau, advisories will kick in when the temperature is forecast for 80 degrees or higher.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 18 June 2025
When the track properly kicks in, the drums, guitar strums, bassline, and vocals all receive plenty of attention and none is eclipsed by the others, though the vocals do sit just slightly in the background against the cymbals and bass.
—PC Magazine, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for kick in
Cite this Entry
“Kick in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kick%20in. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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