kick in
verb
kicked in; kicking in; kicks in
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
Bald Ibis Migration Each fall, when the days grow shorter and the weather cooler, the ibises’ migratory instinct kicks in, priming them to seek out a warmer climate to spend the winter.
—
Carin Leong, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2024
Unlike his brother, Alex was a straight-A student, at least until adolescent rebellion kicked in.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2024
The motor will kick in to help push up hills, or hold back on downhills to save parents’ backs.
—Chris Stokel-Walker, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
Kispert, who has become one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA, will earn an average of just $14 million through the extension, which kicks in next summer, when the NBA calendar switches from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026.
—Morten Stig Jensen, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for kick in 
Carin Leong, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2024
Unlike his brother, Alex was a straight-A student, at least until adolescent rebellion kicked in.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2024
The motor will kick in to help push up hills, or hold back on downhills to save parents’ backs.
—Chris Stokel-Walker, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
Kispert, who has become one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA, will earn an average of just $14 million through the extension, which kicks in next summer, when the NBA calendar switches from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026.
—Morten Stig Jensen, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for kick in
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kick in.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Kick in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kick%20in. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
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