kick off 1 of 2

verb

Definition of kick offnext
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

kickoff

2 of 2

noun

ˈkik-ˌȯf How to pronounce kickoff (audio)
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

Example 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
Verb
Lollapalooza Chicago kicked off with a historic debut by Filipino boy band SB19, the first Southeast Asian act to perform at the festival. — Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Since then, the rapper has taken the songs on the road on her Little Miss Drama Tour, which kicked off in February and wrapped in April. — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026
Noun
Officials remain optimistic the project’s kickoff will reinvigorate residents to return to the dilapidated area. — Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026 Achouri will be introduced during a Saturday afternoon news conference at Snapdragon Stadium and presented to supporters before kickoff. — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for kick off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kick off
  1. begin
  2. die
  3. beginning
  4. start
  5. fall
  6. commencement
  7. commence
  8. pass away
Verb
  • Joe Mack and Xavier Edwards added RBI singles later in the fifth for the Marlins, who began the day 2 1/2 games behind Philadelphia and Arizona for the final two NL playoff spots.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The festival began as a seasonal attraction but has grown into a Kansas City-area family tradition centered on education and close encounters with butterflies.
    — Sophia Buonpane, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of begin
Verb
  • The lab got its start with studies of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the 1900s, when ranchers and cattle were dying from the then-unknown disease.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • The New Empire, died today, July 21, in a car accident in Frederick, Maryland.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 21 July 2026
Definition of die
Noun
  • Asking how your home will be promoted, and whether it will be listed in the MLS from the very beginning, can help ensure your property has the strongest possible start.
    — Heartland MLS®, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026
  • The Bundesliga had only begun in 1963, marking the true beginning of professionalism.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of beginning
Verb
  • Add in Oracle and sovereign-scale projects like Stargate, and the buildout starts to resemble a national infrastructure program more than a corporate capex cycle.
    — Michael Wee, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • On Sunday, authorities said one man was arrested on Kefalonia on suspicion of having started a fire that spread quickly in the southeastern part of the island, triggering the evacuation of nearby villages.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of start
Verb
  • Such is the fate that befalls Meta, whose shares fell as much as 10% in after-hours trading Wednesday after the company missed earnings due to costs ballooning 55% (Meta’s stock later recovered some ground and was down 7%).
    — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 30 July 2026
  • Rain fell early Thursday in the city of Bordeaux to the east.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
Definition of fall
Noun
  • Crist, for example, was given a distinguished alumni award June 5 at commencement ceremonies held by the Antelope Valley College.
    — Pat Maio, Daily News, 31 July 2026
  • The 22-year-old students from Bradford, England, took to the stage together at Keele University’s commencement ceremony to collect their diplomas.
    — Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 25 July 2026
Definition of commencement
Verb
  • And so commenced a literally explosive weekend of celebrations across the five boroughs, which culminated in a ticker-tape parade on June 18 to City Hall.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 23 July 2026
  • Work commenced on the record three months after Drewchin welcomed the arrival of her first child, Nova, a period in which she was consumed with the reality and potentialities of being a new parent.
    — Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026
Definition of commence
Verb
  • Ulbrich was away from the team after his wife, Cristina, passed away July 26 following a long battle with cancer.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The first was Simon Gourdine, who took the role in 1974 and passed away in 2012.
    — Jabari Young, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of pass away

Browse Nearby Words

kicking upstairs
kick off
kickoff
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kick off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kick%20off. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on kick off

Nglish: Translation of kick off for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of mitigate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All