kick in

verb

kicked in; kicking in; kicks in

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.
Sade Adu’s voice is the first to break through the intro’s staticky crackle while slick drums kick in. Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2025 The idea of self-preservation could also kick in, as AI gets even smarter, Bengio said. Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2025 There was no one on the street at the time and the broken window caused many wild rumors of a moonshine party that had driven into the window, of men who kicked in the window and other tales about as far from the truth. Kay Johnson, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2025 When the track kicks in fully, the bassline, drums, guitar strums, and vocals all share the spotlight in the busy mix, without any element overshadowing another. PCMAG, 5 Feb. 2025 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

Dictionary Entries Near kick in

Cite this Entry

“Kick in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kick%20in. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

kick in

verb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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