1
as in began
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 died
slang
to stop living
surprisingly, the recluse was worth a cool million when he kicked off
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kicked off
Last season’s championship games kicked off every morning before the tackle football championships at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
—
Jack Leo, AJC.com, 5 Feb. 2026
The surge of inspiration kicked off a burst of writing that came at the perfect time for the Boston band.
—Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Paris Couture Week, which the American designer’s Monday morning show kicked off, is for fantasy.
—CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Tuesday’s discussion kicked off a yearlong planning push that would take years — or even decades — to fully realize.
—Mark Dee
january 29, Idaho Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
The Frost scoring kicked off with defender Kendall Cooper’s first career PWHL goal, just under five minutes into the game.
—Theodore Tollefson, Twin Cities, 29 Jan. 2026
Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor kicked off the ceremony with a brief speech thanking the audience, both in person and those watching the livestream, while providing a preamble that gestured at the ongoing conversations about the role of AI in film.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2026
The journey kicked off with a party-like atmosphere.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 22 Jan. 2026
On the same day the 2026 Sundance Film Festival kicked off, the Academy this morning announced an impressive four nominations for one of last year’s most memorable success stories.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2026
Jack Leo, AJC.com, 5 Feb. 2026
The surge of inspiration kicked off a burst of writing that came at the perfect time for the Boston band.
—Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Paris Couture Week, which the American designer’s Monday morning show kicked off, is for fantasy.
—CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Tuesday’s discussion kicked off a yearlong planning push that would take years — or even decades — to fully realize.
—Mark Dee
january 29, Idaho Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
The Frost scoring kicked off with defender Kendall Cooper’s first career PWHL goal, just under five minutes into the game.
—Theodore Tollefson, Twin Cities, 29 Jan. 2026
Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor kicked off the ceremony with a brief speech thanking the audience, both in person and those watching the livestream, while providing a preamble that gestured at the ongoing conversations about the role of AI in film.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2026
The journey kicked off with a party-like atmosphere.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 22 Jan. 2026
On the same day the 2026 Sundance Film Festival kicked off, the Academy this morning announced an impressive four nominations for one of last year’s most memorable success stories.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicked off
Verb
-
The Seahawks’ victory completed a season that began with an NFC West loss to the 49ers at Lumen Field.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The show began with Bad Bunny peering through some tall grass as if in a sugar cane field in Puerto Rico.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As of now, it is known that two people died as a result of this attack.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Feb. 2026
-
One person died Wednesday when a pickup truck crashed in an East County intersection.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
TikTok and Snap settled with a plaintiff involved in the case before the trial commenced.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Bad Bunny commenced his historic performance with a stage set evoking Puerto Rican history, beginning with the brutal legacy of Spanish imperialism on the island.—
Raquel Reichard,
Refinery29,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Cortina Mayor Gianluca Lorenzi received death threats after centuries-old trees were felled to make way for a $131 million bobsledding track.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Afterward, Agnes and I were felled by the kind of hunger that overtakes only those who have exerted themselves in cold weather.—
Boris Fishman,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Belgium international has started to utilise his physical traits, increasingly aggressive in duels and more willing to dominate his opponent.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Villa, who started the taqueria as a pop-up in the Highland Park neighborhood in 2018, took to Instagram to express gratitude for the opportunity, underscoring his family’s immigrant background.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
After a long and courageous battle with cancer, James passed away on February 11, 2026 leaving behind his devoted wife, Kimberly, and their six wonderful children.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Dahan’s favorite decade to reference is the 1970s, specifically vintage images of her mother, who passed away from breast cancer at an early age.—
Ari Stark,
Footwear News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Seattle opened as the favorite to win next year’s Super Bowl on BetMGM.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Her grandfather opened Lewis Street Auto Body, which is still in the family.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Paramedics checked out three people, but none went to the hospital.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Soon, however, Sarah began not feeling well and her OBGYN told her to get checked out at a hospital.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
16 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kicked off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicked%20off. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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