kick in

verb

kicked in; kicking in; kicks in
Synonyms of kick innext

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.
In the New Year, City started to look much more like what Guardiola wants, albeit usually in the first half, before the second-half jitters kicked in. Sam Lee, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026 Strict rules then kick in around when beneficiaries can enroll in or switch Medigap coverage and options become much more limited, with each one generally involving trade-offs or tough choices. Julie Appleby, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026 When demand rises, so will supply, advocates say, and the economies of scale will kick in and help lower upfront prices. Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026 From the bureau chiefs to the guy who operated the copy machine, everyone kicked in a percentage of their salary to Hynes campaign. John O’Hara, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026 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 23 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

kick in

verb
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