1
as in beginning
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dying
slang
to stop living
surprisingly, the recluse was worth a cool million when he kicked off
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of kicking off
But Foster scored seven straight points for Duke from there, kicking off the Blue Devils’ comeback.
—
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 28 Mar. 2026
Dolly Parton delivered a candid health update while kicking off the 2026 season at Dollywood, revealing grief took a physical toll after the death of her husband of nearly six decades, Carl Dean.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 14 Mar. 2026
He is also set to embark on a massive tour that features residencies across the globe, kicking off May 16 in Amsterdam.
—Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2026
Benny Blanco is kicking off his shoes to silence his dirty feet critics.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
For the second time in as many years, the Colorado Rapids are kicking off a new era in Commerce City.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026
After a long day of travel, checking in to your hotel room and kicking off your shoes might feel like just the thing to finally put you in vacation mode.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026
Smaller streamers would likely have to consolidate just to keep up, kicking off a snowball effect in the market.
—Hal Singer, Fortune, 7 Feb. 2026
The 68th annual Grammys are kicking off the month of love, and all the lovers and haters are tuning in.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 28 Mar. 2026
Dolly Parton delivered a candid health update while kicking off the 2026 season at Dollywood, revealing grief took a physical toll after the death of her husband of nearly six decades, Carl Dean.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 14 Mar. 2026
He is also set to embark on a massive tour that features residencies across the globe, kicking off May 16 in Amsterdam.
—Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2026
Benny Blanco is kicking off his shoes to silence his dirty feet critics.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
For the second time in as many years, the Colorado Rapids are kicking off a new era in Commerce City.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026
After a long day of travel, checking in to your hotel room and kicking off your shoes might feel like just the thing to finally put you in vacation mode.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026
Smaller streamers would likely have to consolidate just to keep up, kicking off a snowball effect in the market.
—Hal Singer, Fortune, 7 Feb. 2026
The 68th annual Grammys are kicking off the month of love, and all the lovers and haters are tuning in.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicking off
Verb
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Organizers with 50501 SoCal expected tens of thousands to march, beginning at Los Angeles City Hall, a news release said.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
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More than 7 million student loan borrowers who have been enrolled in a Biden-era repayment plan will receive notices beginning Friday with instructions to seek a new plan to repay their debt, the Education Department said.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sometimes darkly humorous, sometimes strangely heartbreaking, this immersive storytelling experience is Edgar Allan Poe for the modern age; a heart-to-bleeding-heart with madmen, murderers and monsters all dying to tell their story.—
William Earl,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Slovak played on the band’s first three studio albums before dying aged 26 of an accidental heroin overdose in 1988.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The accord further prohibited the developers from beginning construction on the new residences before commencing work on these improvements.—
Awilda Esteras,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Willie made it through the filming of the first episode, but as the second episode was commencing, word got to me that Willie had returned to Los Angeles and the end was near.—
Annabelle Gurwitch,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Violent crime rates were falling well before the surge, in line with national trends.—
Cleve R. Wootson Jr. The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Swiss stocks show resilience By contrast, UBS said Swiss equities offer less exposure to energy disruptions at an attractive valuation point after falling more than 10% since the start of the conflict.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After recently signing a standard NBA contract after starting the season on a two-way deal, Cain did a little bit of everything with 11 points, five rebounds and two assists in 22 minutes.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
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Various activities and entrance fees are covered with tickets starting at $55.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Don’t leave without checking out the rooftop cafe, which offers incredible city views.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Feb. 2026
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Getting your tiny house is as simple as checking out your Amazon cart and preparing for delivery.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Steve only got to visit Wanda in Broad Cove a couple of times before becoming too ill with AIDS to make the trip and eventually passing away from the disease.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Adichie has experienced significant loss over the last few years, with both of her parents passing away a year apart.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Spring means a lot of things — flowers are blooming, days get longer, and many folks are finally stepping out of the cold.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
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Next, Timberlake can be seen handing over his license and registration before stepping out of the car to undergo a series of sobriety tests.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kicking off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicking%20off. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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