start off
phrasal verb
started off; starting off; starts off
1
: to start or cause (something) to start in a specified way
He started off by introducing himself.
She started off (her run) at a slow jog.
The performance started off badly.
—often + withI started off my speech with a joke.
We started off the meal with shrimp cocktails.
The team started the season off with a 10-game winning streak.
2
: to have a specified quality, identity, job, etc., at the start
She started off as a sales assistant but is now the marketing director.
3
: to begin an important period in one's life or career
The house is perfect for a couple just starting off.
4
: to begin to move toward a particular place or in a particular direction
She ate breakfast before starting off for work.
5
: to cause (someone) to begin doing a particular activity or action
He started his daughter off on the piano.
The game-show host started her off with some easy questions.
Examples of start off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Men's Royal Rumble started off at a fast pace, with Rey Mysterio and Penta kicking things off.
—
David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025
The month starts off strong with, as is customary for the streaming giant, a dump of dozens of beloved older titles.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 1 Feb. 2025
The stock has been seesawing this week after starting off the period with a 17% plunge on Monday — the biggest one-day loss ever for a U.S. company — when Chinese AI startup DeepSeek heightened fears about spending on the technology and U.S. AI dominance.
—Sean Conlon, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2025
Opus starts off on a relatively strong note, first with Green’s brief portrayal of magazine office culture and then with Ariel’s early experience at the compound.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for start off 
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David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025
The month starts off strong with, as is customary for the streaming giant, a dump of dozens of beloved older titles.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 1 Feb. 2025
The stock has been seesawing this week after starting off the period with a 17% plunge on Monday — the biggest one-day loss ever for a U.S. company — when Chinese AI startup DeepSeek heightened fears about spending on the technology and U.S. AI dominance.
—Sean Conlon, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2025
Opus starts off on a relatively strong note, first with Green’s brief portrayal of magazine office culture and then with Ariel’s early experience at the compound.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for start off
Dictionary Entries Near start off
Cite this Entry
“Start off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/start%20off. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
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