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
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 Sea breezes kick in during the summertime across Florida as well. 
Britley Ritz, CNN, 26 Aug. 2022 But price caps and income limits kick in, and new rules around battery components will limit the number of vehicles that qualify. Ashlea Ebeling, WSJ, 22 Aug. 2022 As the penultimate season eyes love during phase two, nostalgia may kick in, leading to a win this year or for the final season. Michael Schneider, Variety, 12 Aug. 2022 However, several provisions don’t kick in for several years, exposing it to potential change in the future by a Republican majority in Congress. Stephen Singer, Hartford Courant, 11 Aug. 2022 If breaches in policies are detected, alerts and notifications should be generated automatically, and the resolution path should kick in. Stu Bailey, Forbes, 17 May 2022 More steady rain will kick in overnight, and Thursday promises to be a wet day. oregonlive, 10 May 2022 Patients who were conscious when the device went off frequently described the jolt as a somewhat painful, if lifesaving, kick in the chest. Washington Post, 3 May 2022 There’s a nice garlic kick in the background as well, making this sauce a score. Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 26 Jan. 2022 See More
Britley Ritz, CNN, 26 Aug. 2022 But price caps and income limits kick in, and new rules around battery components will limit the number of vehicles that qualify. Ashlea Ebeling, WSJ, 22 Aug. 2022 As the penultimate season eyes love during phase two, nostalgia may kick in, leading to a win this year or for the final season. Michael Schneider, Variety, 12 Aug. 2022 However, several provisions don’t kick in for several years, exposing it to potential change in the future by a Republican majority in Congress. Stephen Singer, Hartford Courant, 11 Aug. 2022 If breaches in policies are detected, alerts and notifications should be generated automatically, and the resolution path should kick in. Stu Bailey, Forbes, 17 May 2022 More steady rain will kick in overnight, and Thursday promises to be a wet day. oregonlive, 10 May 2022 Patients who were conscious when the device went off frequently described the jolt as a somewhat painful, if lifesaving, kick in the chest. Washington Post, 3 May 2022 There’s a nice garlic kick in the background as well, making this sauce a score. Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 26 Jan. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1906, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
kicks in
verb
1
as in contributes
to make a donation as part of a group effort if everyone in the department kicks in, we can give him an especially nice present for his retirement Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- contributes
- chips in
- pitches in
- donates
- presents
- provides
- bestows
- doles (out)
- awards
- gives
- affords
- confers
- furnishes
- endows
2
as in dies
slang to stop living the ornery cuss finally kicked in at the ripe old age of 90 Synonyms & Similar Words
- dies
- falls
- kicks off
- checks out
- perishes
- buys it
- passes away
- pops off
- snuffs it
- expires
- exits
- steps out
- ends
- succumbs
- kicks the bucket
- disappears
- goes
- departs
- passes (on)
- parts
- pegs out
- buys the farm
- fades
- demises
- deceases
- bites the dust
- gives up the ghost
- drops
- croaks
- flatlines
- conks (out)
- fails
- dries up
- consumes
- predeceases
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- lives
- breathes
- revives
- comes to
- exists
- is
- lingers
- subsists
- thrives
- flourishes
- prospers