dig in

verb

dug in; digging in; digs in

transitive verb

1

: to cover or incorporate by burying

dig in compost

2

: to establish in a dug defensive position

the platoon was well dug in

intransitive verb

1

: to establish a defensive position especially by digging trenches

2

a

: to go resolutely to work

b

: to begin eating

3

: to hold stubbornly to a position

4

: to scuff the ground for better footing while batting (as in baseball)

Phrases

dig in one's heels

: to take or persist in an uncompromising position or attitude despite opposition

Examples of dig in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But Ford’s EREVs won’t get here before 2027 either, Bloomberg reports, so, for now, Ford will be digging in. —Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 4 Feb. 2025

On the higher-speed roads, the 4Runner rotated easily on the dirt when giving it gas and dug in when slamming on the brakes. —Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025

Defensively, he’s dug in more, too; his steal rate is nearly double that of a year ago. —John Hollinger, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025

Indeed, House Republicans have dug in on Trump’s demands of conditioning aid to California, as ABC Los Angeles has reported. —Douglas Schoen, Orange County Register, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

dig in

verb

1

: to dig and take position in a trench

the soldiers dug in

2

a

: to go to work

b

: to begin eating