kicked in

VERB

contribute

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ante up donate pony up

WEAK

chip in commit dish out dole out fork over furnish give hand out hand over pitch in provide

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But instinct kicked in swiftly, and many of the journalists in the crowd of 2,600 people were using their phones to capture video.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2026

In negotiating player benefits, it was important to know that if they kicked in after three years or later, many players wouldn’t receive them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

"The nerves kicked in over the eight-inch putt on the last, the hole looked really small," said Young, who shot a four-under-par 68 to win his second PGA Tour title on 13 under.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

"I poked my head into the hallway. Saw smoke, saw staff running, and instincts kicked in," Plotkin told AFP near the Temple Israel synagogue, which houses a preschool that was in session.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

Instinct kicked in, and I wiped away my tears as fast as I could.

From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely