kick in

verb

kicked in; kicking in; kicks in

transitive verb

: contribute

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

Synonyms of kick in

• contribute

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

Once the changes kick in on April 2, MileagePlus members will need a co-branded card to earn miles on basic economy flights. —Sri Taylor, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026

But then the anxiety kicked in. —Lloyd Blankfein, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026

Second, once March rolls around and the consumption limits kick in, users on the platform that exceed the limits will have to purchase an add-on pack, said Melwani. —Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 18 Feb. 2026

All of these athletes achieved towering heights, then got their teeth kicked in by the competition, only to regroup, refocus, and return to greatness. —Frederick Dreier, Outside, 18 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for kick in

• chicken
• likin
• quicken
• sicken
• stricken
• thicken
• indican

Kids Definition

kick in

verb

1

: contribute sense 1

2

: start sense 2