What does "kickback" mean?
A backward kick; a retrograde movement of an extremity.
Kickback
/ˈkɪkbæk/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A backward kick; a retrograde movement of an extremity.
- Grammar: kickback is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: abatement, agio, allowance, backfire.
- Useful contrasts: acquiesce, advance, approval.
- Usage evidence: She was pushing the drug so hard, I swore she must be getting some kind of kickback.
How to use "kickback"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "kickback" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "kickback" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "kickback" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "kickback" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "kickback" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abatement" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "kickback", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A backward kick; a retrograde movement of an extremity. countable
"Kickbacks work the triceps muscle at the back of your arm. Exercising these muscles helps eliminate arm jiggle."
- 2 a commercial bribe paid by a seller to a purchasing agent in order to induce the agent to enter into the transaction wordnet
- 3 A covert, often illegal, payment in return for a favor consisting of providing an opportunity of chargeable transaction; especially, a kind of quid pro quo in which if you (an insider) secretly help me (an outsider) win the bid for the contract then I will secretly send you a portion of the contract value; thus, a kind of bribe. countable, informal
"Central to his [Yury Skuratov's] investigation were kickbacks supposedly paid by a Swiss construction company for contracts to restore government buildings, including both houses of parliament."
- 4 Recoil; a sudden backward motion, usually in the direction of the operator. uncountable
- 5 An accident where an object being cut by a rotating blade or disk, such as a circular saw, is caught by the blade and thrown outward. countable
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 An accident wherein the upper tip of the bar of a running chainsaw contacts a relatively immovable object, forcing the bar upwards and pressing the running chain more firmly against the object, causing the saw to be hurled upwards and backwards into the operator's face. countable, uncountable
- 7 A dangerous buildup of gas pressure at the wellhead. countable, uncountable
- 8 The board separating one bowling lane from another at the pit end. countable
- 9 In contract bridge, an ace asking convention initiated by the first step above four of the agreed trump suit. uncountable
- 10 A feature that saves the ball from draining and propels it back into play. countable, uncountable
"We've come a long way since then. The progeny of that nail have been bent and twisted into what we all know and love as roll overs, kickbacks, and thumper-bumpers."
- 11 A relaxed party. countable, uncountable
Example
"She was pushing the drug so hard, I swore she must be getting some kind of kickback."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "kickback"?
Common synonyms include: abatement, agio, allowance, backfire, backhander, backlash.
How do you use "kickback" in a sentence?
She was pushing the drug so hard, I swore she must be getting some kind of kickback.
How do you pronounce "kickback"?
Pronounced /ˈkɪkbæk/.
Etymology
Deverbal from kick back.