kickback

1 of 2

noun

kick·​back ˈkik-ˌbak How to pronounce kickback (audio)
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 officialsD. K. Shipler
2
: a sharp violent reaction

kick back

2 of 2

verb

kicked back; kicking back; kicks back

intransitive verb

: 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
Noun
More:Recall signatures submitted for MPS recall effort; verification process begins Bonds pleaded guilty in 2019 to conspiracy and violations of the Travel Act for taking kickbacks in return for votes between 2014 and 2016 that benefited Universal, which employed his co-conspirators. Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 26 Sep. 2024 Shortly before that, the team had been under scrutiny as allegations that the former coach had accepted more than a million dollars in kickbacks in exchange for recruiting students to Harvard’s team. Raquel Coronell Uribe, NBC News, 26 July 2024
Verb
But instead of kicking back and basking in her legacy, she’s been hard at work advocating for structural changes that would better support all women—whether athletes or not—in the workplace. Macaela MacKenzie, Glamour, 3 Oct. 2024 And as endearing a protagonist as Evan makes, English Teacher would probably work still better as a true ensemble — if only there were more time to kick back with the rest of the cast. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for kickback 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kickback.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1920, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1972, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kickback was in 1920

Dictionary Entries Near kickback

kick-ass

kickback

kick back

Cite this Entry

“Kickback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kickback. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

kickback

1 of 2 noun
kick·​back ˈkik-ˌbak How to pronounce kickback (audio)
: a secret return of part of a sum of money received

kick back

2 of 2 verb

Legal Definition

kickback

noun
kick·​back ˈkik-ˌbak How to pronounce kickback (audio)
: 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.

More from Merriam-Webster on kickback

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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