1
as in to begin
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
I'll kick off the discussion on ethics with this question
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to die
slang
to stop living
surprisingly, the recluse was worth a cool million when he kicked off
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in beginning
the point at which something begins
a political cycle in which an election marks not only the end of one campaign but also the kickoff for the next one
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of kick off
Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2025
Related Articles Fendi will kick off its centenary year with a coed fashion show during Milan Fashion Week in February, with Silvia Venturini Fendi, artistic director of accessories and menswear collections, leading the design effort.
—Luisa Zargani, WWD, 16 Jan. 2025
Tim Reynolds, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2025
Had kickoff been Thursday night, that would have been a problem.
—Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for kick off 
Verb
The academic conference, which kicks off at Seminole State College on day one before landing at the St. Lawrence African Methodist Episcopal Church for days two and three, reflects on how Black families and individuals can build space and communities in the 21st century.
—Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2025
Related Articles Fendi will kick off its centenary year with a coed fashion show during Milan Fashion Week in February, with Silvia Venturini Fendi, artistic director of accessories and menswear collections, leading the design effort.
—Luisa Zargani, WWD, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
The Duke transfer passed for a season-low 90 yards in the win over Georgia, in which Notre Dame’s touchdowns came on a one-play drive after a turnover and a kickoff return.
—Tim Reynolds, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2025
Had kickoff been Thursday night, that would have been a problem.
—Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for kick off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kick off
Verb
-
The Whites and Skaggs also began performing often together, with Skaggs introducing the group to new audiences.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
14 Jan. 2025
-
Exploring the genre of inaugural addresses through quotations and objects from the past can help listeners better understand the opening speech of a new administration, the first act in a job that began with the taking of the oath.—
Claire Jerry,
The Conversation,
14 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Jeffrey Takeyama Jeffrey Takeyama, 69, died in the Palisades Fire.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC News,
17 Jan. 2025
-
In Kansas, the State Child Death Review Board reported that no children died of fentanyl in 2017 through 2019, 11 died in 2020 and nine died in 2021.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Popular on Variety At the beginning, these demonstrations are at the margins of the film — more like background noise than an integral part of the plot.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
18 Jan. 2025
-
Back at the beginning of the 20th century, telescopes were not powerful enough to resolve individual stars in other galaxies, so spiral galaxies appeared more like spiral smudges, and were referred to as spiral nebulas.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The reason is because crane recovery has been so effective that the birds are starting to be nuisances.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
17 Jan. 2025
-
Luckily, replacing them doesn’t have to cost a small fortune thanks to Walmart’s deals starting at $6.—
Shea Simmons,
People.com,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
On paper, the movie is a very American epic—the rise and fall of a master builder, told as extravagantly as possible on 70-millimeter VistaVision, a largely obsolete film format that was predominantly used in the 1950s and ’60s.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2025
-
Trees or limbs that fall onto a shoulder, sidewalk or public right-of-way should be reported by calling 311 or using the CLT+ mobile app.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
In 2018, 2001 Dartmouth graduate Mindy Kaling returned to campus to give a hilarious commencement address.—
Diana Pearl,
People.com,
2 Dec. 2024
-
Courage Under Fire evidenced that, especially following a kerfuffle just days before over Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s commencement address at Benedictine College in Kansas.—
Liam Adams,
The Tennessean,
31 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
The 119th Congress has commenced with a notable shift in religious affiliation among its members, reflecting a broader trend of religion declining across the United States.—
Janae Bowens,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Jan. 2025
-
But the real processing will commence in the next weeks and months as El Capitan starts conducting nuclear weapons research in addition to computing work for fusion energy projects, climate change, and drug discovery.—
Michael Kan,
PCMAG,
10 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Exposure to air pollution such as wildfire smoke can also lead to the onset of asthma in otherwise healthy people, Lamb said.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Jan. 2025
-
Chronic stress disproportionately impacts Black women and is a major contributor to the onset of serious health conditions.—
Jameelah Nasheed,
Essence,
13 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to kick off
Thesaurus Entries Near kick off
Cite this Entry
“Kick off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kick%20off. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share