kick in

verb

kicked in; kicking in; kicks in

transitive verb

: contribute

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

Synonyms

• chip in
• contribute
• pitch in

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

Such temporary trading stops kick in automatically when stock prices move suddenly beyond certain limits. —Nathan Bomey, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024

Fellow cannabis giants, Verano and Curaleaf also kicked in $3.5 million and $3 million, respectively. —Zack Huffman, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

But now, when the budget measures kick in April 2026, some of their families—including Dyson, Danish billionaire Anders Holch Polvsen, and Clarkson—will be liable to pay hundreds of millions in taxes. —Byprarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 4 Nov. 2024

Boom's First Entry Refund will kick in after a loss, refunding your stake as a bonus and giving you another shot to win. —David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

kick in

verb

1

: contribute sense 1

2

: start sense 2