start off

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 toe strap wrapped over the front of the foot, which started off wide along the sides and slimmed at the center, revealing more of the foot. — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026

The Dallas Cowboys started off the NFL season with a 28-20 loss to the New York Giants, which surprised many who thought the team would get off to a fast start after a strong offseason. — Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Sep. 2026

The college football season started off with a bit of a whimper. — Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Adjustable classroom lights, including the ones in Leah Baird's special education classroom, which start off soft as students start their day. — Jonaki Mehta, NPR, 7 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for start off

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