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

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2
as in to die
slang to stop living surprisingly, the recluse was worth a cool million when he kicked off

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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

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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
Roughly 62% of consumers kicked off their back-to-school shopping by early July, according to the annual survey released July 14 by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. — Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2026 As students like Valeria and Aislinn settle into their new dorms, the campus has planned a series of events this week to kick off the new academic year. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
Prior to kickoff, 2025 Raiders camp prospect Jah Joyner became the eighth defensive end signed since training camp opened; Victor Dimukeje was placed on Injured Reserve. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2026 On the heels of the successful Inked & Amped kickoff event in Mansfield, Ohio in July, the shift to Chicago is a natural progression for the partnership. — John D. Luerssen, SPIN, 27 Aug. 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
  • The administration did cripple Iran's nuclear program in 2025 with bombing strikes on various facilities, but since this war began, there's been no effective action taken against its nuclear program.
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Since Tiffany’s attacks began, Crowley has moved in Hong’s general direction, emphasizing his requirements—using exclusively renewable energy to power new data centers, building them with union labor—for developers to receive the tax breaks.
    — Dan Kaufman, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of begin
Verb
  • Carlile remembered the Country Music Hall of Fame member, who died Tuesday at 80 after a brief battle with cancer, in a social media post.
    — Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Dolly Parton, the undisputed queen of country music, died on Tuesday, August 25.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of die
Noun
  • That kind of visceral reaction has been baked into Paranormal Activity from the beginning.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The beginning of the advertisement focuses on Miestowski reaching for the driver in a golf bag.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of beginning
Verb
  • To improve chances of a timely reply, patients should start messages by greeting their doctor by name, ideally including both first and last names.
    — Paul Hsieh, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • And then Joe Milton started putting it together and had two outstanding preseason games.
    — Jon Machota, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of start
Verb
  • The continent's sweltering summer has meanwhile boosted demand for air conditioning and other energy-hungry appliances at a time when demand for gas, widely used for Europe's heating and cooking needs, naturally falls.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The Oscar winner paired a leopard-print Givenchy fall 2026 dress and the fashion house’s modern take on T-strap high heels.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of fall
Noun
  • With the acclaim came the awards, the invitations to give commencement speeches, the honorary degrees, the chance to perform before thousands of fans at big-time sports events.
    — Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In a 1991 commencement speech at Georgia Tech, Brian Dyson told students to imagine life as a game of juggling five balls — work, family, health, friends and spirit.
    — Amy Wenk, AJC.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of commencement
Verb
  • The game commenced with four unanswered scores from Jenks and sloppy play from Southlake Carroll that included a handful of early penalties, messy substitutions and a lack of rhythm.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Cloud service agreements totaled $29 billion, with data center leases not commenced of $25 billion, equity investments of $25 billion, and capital expenditures of $8 billion.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of commence
Verb
  • About one year after this event, Nancy passed away at the age of 93.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The iconic singer and philanthropist passed away Tuesday at the age of 80.
    — The NPR Network, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of pass away

Browse Nearby Words

kicking upstairs
kick off
kickoff
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Cite this Entry

“Kick off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kick%20off. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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