kick-start

verb

kick-started; kick-starting; kick-starts
Synonyms of kick-startnext

transitive verb

1
: to start (something, such as a motorcycle) by means of a kick-starter
2
kick start noun

Examples of kick-start in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
That campaign was kick-started in 2021 with a $500 million challenge grant from Open Society Foundations, the philanthropic network founded by billionaire hedge fund investor George Soros. Dan Mangan, CNBC, 1 May 2026 For breakfast, Mockingbird Cafe offers traditional Southern favorites like biscuits and gravy and hash brown bowls to kick-start your day. Karon Warren, AJC.com, 30 Apr. 2026 But Lane Thomas’ three-run homer won it for the Royals, who hope that victory kick-starts sustained success. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026 This downward tilt followed a stellar period of growth kick-started in the pandemic-era lockdown when subscriptions surged. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 12 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for kick-start

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of kick-start was in 1928

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Cite this Entry

“Kick-start.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kick-start. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

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