kick-start

verb

kick-started; kick-starting; kick-starts

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.
At the end of one of the events, Styles received an emotional farewell from the fans attending the event, which his friend and co-star CM Punk kick-started. Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025 Here are five Jamaica Kincaid books to kick-start a fresh fan. Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025 Johnson, who was the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions from 2022 to 2024, was hired in part to kick-start Williams’ career after a disappointing rookie season. Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 14 Oct. 2025 The Libre Initiative and Americans for Prosperity, political organizations that are part of the Koch family network, are kick-starting the seven-figure campaign, the groups announced Monday in a press release. Lee Ann Anderson, The Hill, 13 Oct. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kick-start.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kick-start. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on kick-start

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