kick in

verb

kicked in; kicking in; kicks in

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.
Once numbing kicks in, most patients describe the day as straightforward. Nia Bowers, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025 His 32 saves were his most since 2019, and the Red Sox almost had no choice but to extend the 37-year-old for another season (plus an option for 2027 that will kick in automatically if Chapman pitched 40 innings next year). Michael Hurley, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025 The personal services contract kicked in following his 2022 retirement, and Pujols has been contributing to the Angels organization in the years since. Levi Weaver, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 Team owners are expecting a sizable bump on the next deal, which would kick in after the 2027-28 season. Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 1 Oct. 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 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

kick in

verb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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