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.
Miguel kick-started his career with his adventurous 2012 debut, Kaleidoscope Dream, an LP that mixed rock, soul, and psychedelia into a freewheeling sound he’s been nuancing ever since, often in music that’s taken on a moodier, more anxious tone. Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2025 But with Zoe Saldaña telling press that an Avatar documentary will premiere before Fire and Ash hits theaters, the re-mythologization of James Cameron seems to have kick-started. Joe Reid, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025 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 This is a good idea, because their energy and feedback might kick-start things into action. Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 17 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 26 Oct. 2025.

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