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 Chaparrals started off strong with a touchdown just 17 seconds into the first quarter from wide receiver Everett Scott. —Chloe Soule’, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2025

Fleming remembers starting off with classes that drew a small collection of Black students. —Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025

McAtamney, who played college football at Rutgers, started off well for the Giants, making two short field goals and one extra point in his debut against the Los Angeles Chargers. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025

Shadene Butchart, 58, started off on a Blue Cross bronze plan -- or the lowest tier -- but, as her disease progressed, the couple decided to upgrade to a gold plan, the highest tier, which covers a higher percentage of her health care costs. —Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2025

Rhymes for start off

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