start off

phrasal verb

started off; starting off; starts off

1

: to start or cause (something) to start in a specified way

He started off by introducing himself.

She started off (her run) at a slow jog.

The performance started off badly.

—often + with

I started off my speech with a joke.

We started off the meal with shrimp cocktails.

The team started the season off with a 10-game winning streak.

2

: to have a specified quality, identity, job, etc., at the start

She started off as a sales assistant but is now the marketing director.

3

: to begin an important period in one's life or career

The house is perfect for a couple just starting off.

4

: to begin to move toward a particular place or in a particular direction

She ate breakfast before starting off for work.

5

: to cause (someone) to begin doing a particular activity or action

He started his daughter off on the piano.

The game-show host started her off with some easy questions.

Examples of start off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Dodgers started off fast as Shohei Ohtani led off in the bottom of the first with a triple off of Aaron Ashby. —Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025

The event started off with a keynote conversation with Blumhouse CEO Jason Blum, who detailed his career in celebration of the company’s 15th anniversary. —Leia Mendoza, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025

Season 51 started off with a bang. —Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025

After starting off the season with a 4-1 record, the Steelers appear to be a legitimate contender in the AFC. —Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025

Rhymes for start off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff