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
Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2025
Federal investigators raided his home and seized his electronics last September as part of a probe that sources say have scrutinized whether top city officials engaged in a scheme involving kickbacks on municipal government contracts.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2025
Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Gibbons stopped, stalking the stage while cupping both ears, eating up the applause before kicking back in to close the iconic ZZ Top cut.
—Jim Ryan, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kickback
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Noun
Prosecutors say the quartet engaged in a sprawling conspiracy built on promises to David and Andy Duong of multi-million dollar government contracts, in exchange for $300,000 in kickback payments to Thao and her romantic partner, Andre Jones.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2025
Federal investigators raided his home and seized his electronics last September as part of a probe that sources say have scrutinized whether top city officials engaged in a scheme involving kickbacks on municipal government contracts.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
In season 3, spa manager Belinda Lindsey (Natasha Rothwell) kicks back with a copy of Thomas Erikson’s Surrounded by Narcissists.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Gibbons stopped, stalking the stage while cupping both ears, eating up the applause before kicking back in to close the iconic ZZ Top cut.
—Jim Ryan, Forbes, 24 Mar. 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 19 Apr. 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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