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

Elsbeth featured not one but two bloody crime scenes during this week’s episode, which started off by unveiling Judge Milton Crawford’s disturbing backstory. —Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 24 Apr. 2025

Life tickets have mostly stayed in line with Year One, and actually started off lower when Year Two sales began last November. —Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 23 Apr. 2025

The luxury fashion house is starting off 2025 strong. —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2025

The only other presidential term for which the dollar started off even remotely close to this abysmal a start: Trump, during his first term, when the dollar fell 3% in the first 63 days of trading. —David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2025

Rhymes for start off

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