1
: a return of a part of a sum received often because of confidential agreement or coercion
every city contract had been let with a ten percent kickback to city officials—
D. K. Shipler
D. K. Shipler2
: a sharp violent reaction
kicked back; kicking back; kicks back
: to assume a relaxed position or attitude
also
: to spend time relaxing : take it easy
spent the weekend just kicking back
Examples of kickback in a Sentence
Noun
Several company executives were accused of accepting kickbacks.
Verb
I plan to spend the day kicking back and watching television.
a good resort for people who want to kick back and watch others exercise strenuously
Recent Examples on the Web
Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 5 Dec. 2024
Prosecutors had alleged that Daggett had ties to the Genovese crime family as far back as 2000, and the union has long been accused of handing no-show jobs to mobsters' relatives and providing kickbacks.
—Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 4 Oct. 2024
Latoya Gayle, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
Offended, Ambassador Tai kicked back on that comment, but the trade cat was out of the bag and everyone started to realize that trade was going nowhere.
—Rick Helfenbein, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for kickback 
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Noun
In all, the two collected about $26,700 in kickbacks from 2022 to earlier this year, the indictment alleged.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 5 Dec. 2024
Prosecutors had alleged that Daggett had ties to the Genovese crime family as far back as 2000, and the union has long been accused of handing no-show jobs to mobsters' relatives and providing kickbacks.
—Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
Lara Spencer isn't kicking back despite being in recovery from painful surgery on both of her feet.
—Latoya Gayle, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
Offended, Ambassador Tai kicked back on that comment, but the trade cat was out of the bag and everyone started to realize that trade was going nowhere.
—Rick Helfenbein, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for kickback
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Dictionary Entries Near kickback
Cite this Entry
“Kickback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kickback. Accessed 20 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
kickback
1 of 2 noun
kick·back
ˈkik-ˌbak 
: a secret return of part of a sum of money received
kick back
2 of 2 verbLegal Definition
kickback
noun
kick·back
ˈkik-ˌbak
: a payment (as of money or property) made to one in a position to open up or control a source of income for the payor
convicted of receiving kickbacks for referrals
compare bribe, payoff
Note: A kickback is specifically a payment for income received or to be received. The word is usually not restricted to a return of funds.
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