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
Plus, these are great sales to shop ahead of tariffs kicking in, with several companies planning to raise prices in May.
—
Nena Farrell, Wired News, 22 Apr. 2025
Retail sales jumped sharply last month as people raced to buy stuff ahead of Trump's steep new tariffs kicking in.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 17 Apr. 2025
As the rot advances and retreats—and the vine’s natural defenses kick in—the grapes’ metabolism changes, reducing acidity and water content while developing savory-enhancing compounds.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 16 Apr. 2025
Finally, and perhaps most interesting from a gameplay-wide perspective, Elder Scrolls Online will also be getting a new subclass feature that kicks in at the soft level cap of 50.
—David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kick in
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.
Nena Farrell, Wired News, 22 Apr. 2025
Retail sales jumped sharply last month as people raced to buy stuff ahead of Trump's steep new tariffs kicking in.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 17 Apr. 2025
As the rot advances and retreats—and the vine’s natural defenses kick in—the grapes’ metabolism changes, reducing acidity and water content while developing savory-enhancing compounds.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 16 Apr. 2025
Finally, and perhaps most interesting from a gameplay-wide perspective, Elder Scrolls Online will also be getting a new subclass feature that kicks in at the soft level cap of 50.
—David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 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 5 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share