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
Vivian Jones, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
This included reporting that the company manipulated vote counts, is owned by a company founded in Venezuela to rig elections for Hugo Chavez, is paid kickbacks to government officials who used its machines in swing states and was involved in voting irregularities in Texas in 2018.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2025
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2025
The insurance company may then delay or deny the request, which kicks back the paperwork to the doctor’s office and starts the entire process all over again.
—Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kickback
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Noun
Casada, prosecutors allege, recruited his fellow lawmakers for business and then accepted kickbacks.
—Vivian Jones, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
This included reporting that the company manipulated vote counts, is owned by a company founded in Venezuela to rig elections for Hugo Chavez, is paid kickbacks to government officials who used its machines in swing states and was involved in voting irregularities in Texas in 2018.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
Ronnie sleeps on his stomach, the bedsheets kicked back.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2025
The insurance company may then delay or deny the request, which kicks back the paperwork to the doctor’s office and starts the entire process all over again.
—Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kickback
Cite this Entry
“Kickback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kickback. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.
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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