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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of kicked off
The concert series kicked off in Mexico City in April.
—
Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
Madrid’s players took part in last weekend’s protests against the Miami game, standing still when their game at Getafe kicked off last Sunday.
—Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
The secret concert marked the final stop on Rodrigo’s Guts World Tour, which kicked off in early 2024 in Palm Springs and has since spanned over 75 dates across North America and Europe.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 25 Oct. 2025
The ceremony kicked off with a surprise message from Quentin Tarantino, projected on the Amphithéâtre’s giant screen.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 18 Oct. 2025
Firstly, a trader using a smaller exchange (Hyperliquid) placed a large one-way bet on the market dropping substantially within minutes of the announcement coming from the White House that kicked off the market turmoil.
—Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 18 Oct. 2025
The premiere episode of Boston Blue kicked off the next chapter of the Blue Bloods saga on CBS.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
In a store walkthrough with Tim Rupp, senior creative director of retail and experiences at Nike, the executive told FN that planning for the top-to-bottom renovation kicked off in March.
—Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 17 Oct. 2025
Decades of fighting for women’s suffrage in the United States found success in 1920, which kicked off a decade of some relaxation of the restrictions on women.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
Madrid’s players took part in last weekend’s protests against the Miami game, standing still when their game at Getafe kicked off last Sunday.
—Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
The secret concert marked the final stop on Rodrigo’s Guts World Tour, which kicked off in early 2024 in Palm Springs and has since spanned over 75 dates across North America and Europe.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 25 Oct. 2025
The ceremony kicked off with a surprise message from Quentin Tarantino, projected on the Amphithéâtre’s giant screen.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 18 Oct. 2025
Firstly, a trader using a smaller exchange (Hyperliquid) placed a large one-way bet on the market dropping substantially within minutes of the announcement coming from the White House that kicked off the market turmoil.
—Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 18 Oct. 2025
The premiere episode of Boston Blue kicked off the next chapter of the Blue Bloods saga on CBS.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
In a store walkthrough with Tim Rupp, senior creative director of retail and experiences at Nike, the executive told FN that planning for the top-to-bottom renovation kicked off in March.
—Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 17 Oct. 2025
Decades of fighting for women’s suffrage in the United States found success in 1920, which kicked off a decade of some relaxation of the restrictions on women.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicked off
Verb
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Satellite television brought a plethora of choice into the living room, Western brands began to appear in shops and, for a burgeoning middle class, the definition of success was suddenly rewritten.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Rayo began 2023-24 well under Iraola’s successor Francisco Rodriguez but then started to falter.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Officials said most people died from drowning as the storm triggered flash floods and caused rivers to swell above their danger levels.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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My grandmother, on the other hand, lived for another 25 years after her husband died—which meant my relationship with her extended well into my 30s.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
And so, shortly after his startling, spirit-lifting victory in the primary last spring, the gentle flood of inquiries commenced.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Though their time on DWTS commenced nearly two decades ago, Julianne, who joined a season before Derek, remembered their playful competitiveness stirring up even further back.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The at-bats were brief and uneventful, the opposite of the approach that carried Toronto to this stage and felled Snell in Game 1.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
-
That says a lot about the 2025 Red Sox, who were a top offensive team in many metrics, but were also felled by their bats in crucial spots throughout the year and postseason.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The initial symptoms began in early 2024, when Farrington, 45, started to experience dreadful night sweats.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Pandemic deals gave way to record rents, and evictions started up again.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Tamahori’s family said the director passed away following a battle with Parkinson’s disease.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
-
My daughter passed away almost two years ago, which broke my heart.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
For Starbucks patrons at an upscale mall in Beijing’s central business district – the same complex where the company first opened its doors in China in 1999 – the news doesn’t come as a complete surprise.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
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The last time San Diego State opened a men’s basketball season against Long Beach State, in 2010, Kawhi Leonard and the Aztecs trailed by one deep into the second half and needed three 3s by backup guard James Rahon to grind out a nervy road win.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The outlet also said that Simmons was taken to a hospital after the accident to be checked out.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Now, a recent Urban performance has resurfaced that points to, if not that, at least the fact that the singer was mentally checked out a while ago.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kicked off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicked%20off. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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