1
as in to begin
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
I'll kick off the discussion on ethics with this question
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to die
slang
to stop living
surprisingly, the recluse was worth a cool million when he kicked off
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in beginning
the point at which something begins
a political cycle in which an election marks not only the end of one campaign but also the kickoff for the next one
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kick off
Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2025
After The Eras Tour kicked off, several teams — including the Cincinnati Bengals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the New England Patriots — polled their players about their favorite tracks by Swift.
—Lex Goldstein, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
Billboard Staff, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2025
Nyheim Hines, who is filling in as the Chargers’ kick returner while Derius Davis is sidelined by a knee injury, set up the winning drive by returning a kickoff 40 yards to his own 41-yard line.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kick off
Verb
Live hosting debut kicked off with a fun callback to none other than the viral Domingo skit — with a modern pop twist.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2025
After The Eras Tour kicked off, several teams — including the Cincinnati Bengals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the New England Patriots — polled their players about their favorite tracks by Swift.
—Lex Goldstein, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
Noun
Billboard Book Club first launched in April, with its kickoff interview with Spice Girls’ Geri Halliwell-Horner.
—Billboard Staff, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2025
Nyheim Hines, who is filling in as the Chargers’ kick returner while Derius Davis is sidelined by a knee injury, set up the winning drive by returning a kickoff 40 yards to his own 41-yard line.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kick off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kick off
Verb
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The incident on Saturday morning began when Oakland police were called about person who had broken into a home on the 11000 block of Ettrick Street, in a hills neighborhood near the Oakland Zoo.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
20 Oct. 2025
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The issue began shortly after midnight PDT in AWS' main US-East-1 region hosted in northern Virginia.—
Tasmin Lockwood,Katrina Bishop,
CNBC,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In April this year, 11 people — including two children — died when a bus flipped on its side in the southeastern corner of the country.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
19 Oct. 2025
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Older people who earn less than $20,000 a year die nine years sooner on average than those who earn $120,000 or more, according to a study by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and University of Massachusetts Boston's LeadingAge LTSS Center.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
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After drawing 1-1 with Manchester United at the beginning of the month, dropping points for the first time in the Women’s Super League (WSL) this season, Chelsea needed a penalty to equalise and finish with the same result away against FC Twente of the Vrouwen Eredivisie.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Less than a month later, Skaggs died alone in a hotel room in Southlake, Texas, at the beginning of an Angels road trip of what was later determined to be a lethal combination of fentanyl, oxycodone and alcohol.—
Sean Emery,
Oc Register,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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All of our finds are under $100, with many pieces on sale, and prices start at just $9.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
15 Oct. 2025
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Zac and Dylan’s bond has grown stronger over the years, especially after Dylan moved in with Zac while starting his career in Los Angeles.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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On a shotgun snap, a handoff slipped out of Bo Nix’s hands, the quarterback falling on it for a loss of four.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
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Our 10 favorite Amazon fall fashion staples start at just $10 right now.—
Mia Huelsbeck,
PEOPLE,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Kansas City Chiefs player Harrison Butker spoke at a college commencement in 2024 and told the women that they have been told lies about their futures and probably were more excited about being wives and mothers than taking on careers.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
11 Oct. 2025
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Help not wanted A graduating student of the City College of New York wears a message on his cap during the College's commencement ceremony in the Harlem section of Manhattan.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Initial trial retrievals of fuel debris from Unit 2 have already commenced.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Oct. 2025
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The disarmament phase was slated to begin in the second stage of the agreement, which was set to commence after all the hostages were returned.—
Caitlin McFall,
FOXNews.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But there is growing anticipation inside and outside the club that the coming weeks could mark the onset of historic change at the Santiago Bernabeu.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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To learn more about early-onset colorectal cancer, listen to the full episode here.—
Andrea Kane,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kick off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kick%20off. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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