1
as in begins
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dies
slang
to stop living
surprisingly, the recluse was worth a cool million when he kicked off
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kicks off
Today, the holiday kicks off the country’s tourist season, though 40 years ago the day was marked by religious observances that even closed down bars.
—
Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
The National Collegiate Athletic Association’s championship series kicks off Tuesday.
—Sacbee.com, 17 Mar. 2026
The band is prepping the 2026 spring release of Alive, a new live album recorded during their 2025 tour, and will later embark on a sprawling North American trek that kicks off in the fall and continues into spring 2027.
—Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 17 Mar. 2026
Tuesday kicks off a stretch of wet days as multiple weather systems will pass through Minnesota.
—Lisa Meadows, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
The tournament kicks off on June 11 when Mexico plays South Africa in Mexico City.
—ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026
Lynne Ramsay is set to receive the Cinema City Honorary Award at the Glasgow Film Festival, which kicks off this week.
—Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 24 Feb. 2026
The season kicks off later this week, and there are changes on the horizon.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 17 Feb. 2026
The challenge usually kicks off in mid-January, about a week after the students come back from winter break.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026
The National Collegiate Athletic Association’s championship series kicks off Tuesday.
—Sacbee.com, 17 Mar. 2026
The band is prepping the 2026 spring release of Alive, a new live album recorded during their 2025 tour, and will later embark on a sprawling North American trek that kicks off in the fall and continues into spring 2027.
—Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 17 Mar. 2026
Tuesday kicks off a stretch of wet days as multiple weather systems will pass through Minnesota.
—Lisa Meadows, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
The tournament kicks off on June 11 when Mexico plays South Africa in Mexico City.
—ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026
Lynne Ramsay is set to receive the Cinema City Honorary Award at the Glasgow Film Festival, which kicks off this week.
—Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 24 Feb. 2026
The season kicks off later this week, and there are changes on the horizon.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 17 Feb. 2026
The challenge usually kicks off in mid-January, about a week after the students come back from winter break.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicks off
Verb
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The eight-team event begins with quarterfinal games April 1-2 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.—
Laurence Miedema,
Mercury News,
17 Mar. 2026
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From Wednesday on, the real heat wave begins to take a foothold with highs for many areas getting up into the 80s to finish the week.—
Dave Aguilera,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Several seconds later, my character dies on the grass (right alongside the clearly visible script).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and it’s estimated that one person dies from cardiovascular disease every 34 seconds.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN Money,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The rules of the game state that, if a head of a household falls, the next person in succession must take their place and fight, or their entire family line will get blown up by Satan.—
Jada Yuan,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2026
-
By the time the curtain falls, dozens of audience members have become part of the show.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
All changes take effect June 18 except for Cartagena, which commences June 11.—
Vinod Sreeharsha,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
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If the sales go through and drilling eventually commences, large portions of the trail could, in theory, become unusable, forcing a reroute to keep it viable as a recreation setting.—
Alex Heard,
Outside,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Zita also offers a chef’s table experience that starts with an amuse bouche in the kitchen and takes you on a journey through seasonal Tuscan recipes paired with local wines.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Mar. 2026
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Her life is upended when the SMIRK driver, Charlie (David Dastmalchian), starts dropping off boxes, all shapes and sizes, and all the time.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After Nora and Agnes’ mother passes away, Gustav returns to Oslo (and the gorgeous family house that has played home to some of their biggest tragedies) and tries to reestablish himself in his family’s lives.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
28 Oct. 2025
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That's very different from a co-signer, who is equally responsible for any balance, even after the primary cardholder passes away.—
Steve Hruby,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Every soldier Harry would have saved on a transport during the war perishes too.—
Margaret Heidenry,
Vanity Fair,
24 Dec. 2025
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Factory ships deplete fisheries in a matter of years and an inordinate amount of sea life also perishes in their nets.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Make sure to harvest dill in the morning after any dew has dried and before the heat of the day kicks in.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
15 Mar. 2026
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Drivers have struggled to handle the cars when electric power kicks in and the need to trade off between using power and conserving it.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kicks off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicks%20off. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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