Meaning & use
kick back
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Meanings
verbphrasal verbinformal
To relax in a casual, unhurried way, often at home or with friends.
Grammar: No object: we kicked back on the porch.
Patterns
- kick back and do something
- kick back with someone
After a long week, I just want to kick back and watch a movie.
They kicked back on the beach all afternoon.
Come over and kick back with us tonight.
verbphrasal verb
To kick something toward the person who kicked it or sent it to you.
Grammar: Takes an object, often in the middle: kick the ball back.
Patterns
- kick something back
- kick something back to someone
The child kicked the ball back to her brother.
He kicked the can back across the yard.
If the ball rolls over here, kick it back please.
verbphrasal verbinformal
To pay someone a share of money, often secretly or illegally, in return for a favor or deal.
Grammar: Takes an object: kick back part of the fee.
Patterns
- kick something back to someone
The contractor kicked back part of the fee to the official.
He was accused of kicking back money to his boss.
The supplier agreed to kick back a small percentage.
Word forms
| third person singular | kicks back |
|---|---|
| past tense | kicked back |
| past participle | kicked back |
| -ing form | kicking back |
Common combinations
- kick back and relax
- Let's kick back and relax this weekend.
- kick back with friends
- I like to kick back with friends on Sundays.
- kick back on the couch
- He kicked back on the couch with a book.
- kick back a ball
- Please kick back the ball when it comes your way.
- kick back some cash
- The dealer kicked back some cash to the agent.
Synonyms and how they differ
- relax
- Relax is neutral and works in any setting, while kick back feels casual and suggests lounging.
- chill
- Chill is even more slangy and common among younger speakers, while kick back is a bit milder.
- unwind
- Unwind suggests letting go of stress after work, whereas kick back stresses a lazy, comfortable posture.
- lounge
- Lounge means to sit or lie around lazily, but kick back also implies enjoying free time.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: kick back or kick in? kick back or kickback?
kick back vs kick in
Kick in means to begin to take effect, not to relax.
kick back vs kickback
Written as one word, it is a noun meaning a bribe or an illegal return payment.
Practice
After finishing the exam, the students decided to ____ and watch a movie together.
Choose one answer.
Kick back means to relax casually. Kick off means to start, kick in means to take effect, and kick out means to expel.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “kick back”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.