kicked; kicking; kicks
1
a
: to strike out with the foot or feet
b
: to make a kick in football
2
3
: to function with vitality and energy
alive and kicking
4
of a firearm
: to recoil when fired
5
: to go from one place to another as circumstance or whim dictates
6
: to run at a faster speed during the last part of a race
1
a
: to strike, thrust, or hit with the foot
b
: to strike suddenly and forcefully as if with the foot
c
: to remove by a kicking motion
kicked off her shoes
d
: to remove from a position or status
kicked him off the team
see also kick to the curb
2
: to score by kicking a ball
3
: to heap reproaches upon (oneself)
kicked themselves for not going
4
: to free oneself of (something, such as a drug habit)
1
a
: a blow or sudden forceful thrust with the foot
specifically
: a sudden propelling of a ball with the foot
b
: the power to kick
c
: a rhythmic motion of the legs used in swimming
d
: a burst of speed in racing
2
: a sudden forceful jolt or thrust suggesting a kick
especially
: the recoil of a gun
4
a
: a feeling or expression of opposition or objection
a kick against the administration
b
: the grounds for objection
5
a
: a powerful or forceful effect
chili with a kick
b
: a stimulating or pleasurable effect or experience
—often used in the phrases get a kick out of and (just) for kicks
… we just got a big kick out of seeing our names in the paper—
Joel Stein
Joel SteinShe plays golf just for kicks [=for fun].
c
: pursuit of an absorbing or obsessive new interest
—usually used with on
"… I'll get on a kick though where I can't get enough of something, and it'll show up in everything. … "—Danny Markowicz
Danny MarkowiczIf you're on a post-Christmas health kick, there are plenty of seasonal vegetables to keep you going …—Caroline Lindsay
Caroline Lindsay6
7
kicks plural, US slang
: shoes or sneakers
… nothing draws more attention to a rare pair of kicks than the cuffed hem of slim sweats.—Steve Dool
Steve DoolExamples of kick in a Sentence
Verb
The attacker kicked him in the stomach.
She lost her temper and kicked over the box.
He kicked the ball into the goal.
She kicked the ball to me.
The policeman kicked the door open.
The baby kicked his legs in the air.
The swimming instructor reminded the children to kick their legs as they swam.
The baby kicked with pleasure.
He kicked the winning field goal.
When he was 25, he kicked his cocaine habit and went back to school.
Noun
He gave me a kick in the leg.
If you give the machine a little kick, it should start working again.
a long kick in football
Recent Examples on the Web
Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
But even that season’s team hardly ever practiced on the field, and in recent years it’s been used only by the team’s kicking specialist and as a spot where rehabbing players work out on the side.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Kansas City Star, 7 July 2025
The sweet and tangy fruit gets an unexpected kick from the jalapeño chile.
—Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for kick
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
For a start, the first round didn’t kick-off until February, unlike late August this time around.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
But even that season’s team hardly ever practiced on the field, and in recent years it’s been used only by the team’s kicking specialist and as a spot where rehabbing players work out on the side.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
Hall, who in 2003 returned kicks for a touchdown in four straight games, was also selected to the Chiefs’ Hall of Fame in 2023.
—Kansas City Star, 7 July 2025
The sweet and tangy fruit gets an unexpected kick from the jalapeño chile.
—Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for kick
Cite this Entry
“Kick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kick. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
kick
1 of 2 verb1
: to strike out or hit with the foot
2
: to object strongly : protest
kicked about their low grades
3
: to spring back
a shotgun kicks when fired
4
: to be full of pep and energy
still alive and kicking
5
: to score by kicking a ball
kick a field goal
6
slang
: to free oneself of
kick the habit
kicker
noun
kick
2 of 2 noun1
a
: a blow with the foot
b
: the movement of the legs in swimming
2
a
: a sudden moving (as of a ball) with the foot
b
: the sudden move backward of a gun when fired
3
: a feeling of or cause for objection
4
: a feeling or source of pleasure
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