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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kicking off
Saks Global officially filed for bankruptcy in January, kicking off a saga of restructuring under van Raemdonck, who was appointed to the CEO role when Saks filed.
—
Madeleine Schulz,
Vogue,
27 June 2026
Stop taking it, and the mimicry stops too, kicking off a fairly predictable chain of changes over the days and weeks that follow.
—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2026
The mother of 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro — who claimed her son had been kidnapped, kicking off a frantic search in the Inland Empire — now faces a lengthy prison sentence after admitting to charges related to her role in the infant’s disappearance and death.
—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
North Side neighborhoods are kicking off Chicago's summer festival season this weekend.
—
Elyssa Kaufman,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
Since kicking off in Honduras in February, a cycle of minimal training, maximum recovery has been the norm under Dos Santos.
—
Josh Gross,
Daily News,
10 May 2026
Tame Impala is winding down a spring European tour this month before kicking off a huge North American run July 6-7 in Miami.
—
Spin Staff,
SPIN,
8 May 2026
By evening, disruptive Uranus enters your sign, kicking off a new cycle of identity, expression, and personal direction.
—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
More than 120 children were killed when a Tomahawk missile struck the school, kicking off a series of investigations that concluded that the US was responsible and that surveillance tools like Palantir’s Maven system had been used during that day’s strikes.
—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
25 Apr. 2026
Madeleine Schulz,
Vogue,
27 June 2026
Stop taking it, and the mimicry stops too, kicking off a fairly predictable chain of changes over the days and weeks that follow.
—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2026
The mother of 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro — who claimed her son had been kidnapped, kicking off a frantic search in the Inland Empire — now faces a lengthy prison sentence after admitting to charges related to her role in the infant’s disappearance and death.
—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
North Side neighborhoods are kicking off Chicago's summer festival season this weekend.
—
Elyssa Kaufman,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
Since kicking off in Honduras in February, a cycle of minimal training, maximum recovery has been the norm under Dos Santos.
—
Josh Gross,
Daily News,
10 May 2026
Tame Impala is winding down a spring European tour this month before kicking off a huge North American run July 6-7 in Miami.
—
Spin Staff,
SPIN,
8 May 2026
By evening, disruptive Uranus enters your sign, kicking off a new cycle of identity, expression, and personal direction.
—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
More than 120 children were killed when a Tomahawk missile struck the school, kicking off a series of investigations that concluded that the US was responsible and that surveillance tools like Palantir’s Maven system had been used during that day’s strikes.
—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
25 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicking off
Verb
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Traffic is at a standstill beginning around Northwest 183rd Street near Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens ahead of the Portugal match against Colombia.
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The required reading list will take effect beginning with the 2030-31 school year for elementary school students.
Verb
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The best parts of the film, scripted with little distinction by Ana Nogueira, are the flashbacks to Kara’s final months on what’s left of her dying home planet Krypton, or more specifically, the floating colony Argo City, also headed for destruction.
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North Carolina’s elderly are dying by suicide more frequently than in years prior, according to a new report.
Verb
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Work on the plan to remake Fifth Avenue is seen commencing in 2028 and will extend from Bryant Park to Central Park.
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The genial ginger singer-songwriter returned to North America June 13 with a run commencing at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Verb
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The aim is to prevent the level of pensions from falling and ward off the need for a big long-term increase of the levy employees pay into the pension system.
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Low temperatures will remain warm and humid, falling only into the upper 70s.
Verb
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Now, Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton present a stark choice to voters in the race to be the next governor at a moment when public support for the state’s generous safety net is starting to fray.
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In the last 20 minutes before kick, droves of fans have made their way into the stadium and the energy is starting to pick up.
Verb
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Woodside Energy Group — Shares of the Australian oil and gas company jumped more than 7% after Bloomberg News reported , citing people familiar, that Exxon Mobil is checking out possible acquisition targets including Woodside.
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However, the main activity was not checking out or returning books.
Verb
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Simply a live broadcast of the team getting off the bus at the stadium.
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The weekend is getting off to a hot start in North Texas.
Verb
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Her sister had been through cervical cancer and two bouts of breast cancer before passing away from the disease.
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As well as the uncertainty of being in the final year of his contract, the France international also had to deal with the personal anguish of his father Hamady passing away in January.
Cite this Entry
“Kicking off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicking%20off. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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