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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kick off
Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
Last month, Raye kicked off a 51-date arena tour, the aptly titled, This Tour May Contain New Music.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2026
Piet Levy, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
The March 17 culinary kickoff to Luck Reunion will feature communal dining tables and a menu crafted by Luck Chef Ambassador Michael Fojtasek of Olamaie and Maie Day.
—Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kick off
Verb
Benny Blanco is kicking off his shoes to silence his dirty feet critics.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
Last month, Raye kicked off a 51-date arena tour, the aptly titled, This Tour May Contain New Music.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2026
Noun
That doesn't include two kickoff concerts at the American Family Insurance Amphiteater June 16 and 17, with country superstar Garth Brooks.
—Piet Levy, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
The March 17 culinary kickoff to Luck Reunion will feature communal dining tables and a menu crafted by Luck Chef Ambassador Michael Fojtasek of Olamaie and Maie Day.
—Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kick off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kick off
Verb
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The tour begins on March 6, 2026, with a stop at the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Mar. 2026
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The products opened up a week of product launches on Monday, as Apple begins what looks to be a broader multi-day hardware push.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The International Organization for Migration, a United Nations agency, estimates at least 2,185 people died or went missing in the Mediterranean in 2025.—
LEFTERIS PITARAKIS,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
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Under Raisi, Iranian security forces cracked down on demonstrations sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in the custody of Iran’s morality police after being arrested for allegedly violating the country’s mandatory hijab laws.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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These observations are anecdotal for Los Angeles County, as the department traditionally sets up its mosquito traps at the beginning of March and leaves them out until about after Thanksgiving, Kluh said.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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Beef prices have been increasing since the beginning of the decade.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Emails alleging violations started arriving to City Section commissioner Vicky Lagos before the semifinals.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, suggested the possible advantage was only worth a few horsepower — not the few tenths of a second some rivals had feared — and that other teams were potentially looking for excuses before the season had even started.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Unlike Israel, Palestinian cities have no warning sirens or bomb shelters, despite the risk of falling debris or errant missiles.—
CLAUDIA CIOBANU,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
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Even if some kilns had continued producing ceramics, the Yuan Dynasty fell in 1368 and the first Ming emperor banned commercial trade around 1371, so even conservative estimates for dating the shipwreck still fall between the late 1320s and 1371, according to the study.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In 1989, at Dartmouth College, the poet and essayist Joseph Brodsky delivered what must be one of the strangest commencement addresses of all time (and definitely one of the most Russian).—
Daniel Smith,
The Atlantic,
27 Feb. 2026
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There were some who criticized me for making an announcement like that at commencement.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Sifford, who is currently the retailer’s vice chairman of the board, will fulfill the CEO responsibilities while the company commences a search for a permanent successor.—
Stephen Garner,
Footwear News,
25 Feb. 2026
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Then, in the evening, guests will change into their evening attire and stroll around for a promenade, and then afterward, the Regency Era Ball will commence.—
Alyson Rodriguez,
Dallas Morning News,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In just one week, a spectacular display of orbital mechanics will be visible to billions of people across the Americas, Asia, and Oceania, as Earth's shadow sweeps across the lunar disk, triggering the onset of an awe-inspiring 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
24 Feb. 2026
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Major Arctic wildland fires delay the onset of snow cover by five days, offshore wind farms in the northern Yellow Sea stabilize ecosystems, and microplastics inhibit oceanic carbon uptake.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kick off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kick%20off. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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