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
That led the Browns to trust Szmyt, who’d first joined the roster via the practice squad last December and made his kicks in the preseason.
—
Zac Jackson, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
The -- the build -- the big beautiful bill is going to kick in.
—ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025
In some cases, young people have caused damage to homes by kicking in doors, turning a prank into a crime.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
Combs said that her maternal instincts immediately kicked in.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 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.
Zac Jackson, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
The -- the build -- the big beautiful bill is going to kick in.
—ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025
In some cases, young people have caused damage to homes by kicking in doors, turning a prank into a crime.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
Combs said that her maternal instincts immediately kicked in.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 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 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share