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.
Though the changes are complex and will kick in over the next two years (tax cuts earlier; spending cuts after the next two national elections), some of the broad contours are simple and, in some cases, immediate – less money and tougher restrictions for programs that help the poor. Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 26 Oct. 2025 Does someone have a timely bonus clause that will kick in if a certain threshold is reached? Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 26 Oct. 2025 Every genre needs a good kick in the head every once in a while. Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025 This requirement, among others, won't kick in until 2027, after the midterm elections. NPR, 25 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

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Cite this Entry

“Kick in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kick%20in. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

kick in

verb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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