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
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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
Two light festivals are kicking off in the Bay Area with impressive public art, including a series that will shine brightly at eight stories tall.
—
John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
This year, the beloved coffee brand is kicking off all their seasonal favorites November 6—and fans should head straight to the bakery case for their newest offerings.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Keep those air conditioners humming, because this week is kicking off with some unusually hot weather.
—Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2025
Swiss transportation company Twiliner is kicking off a new night bus service later this year that will be more akin to a business class airline seat than your typical bus.
—Opheli Garcia Lawler, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
But the regular season is kicking off in just over a week, and Hill is still there, but not without concern.
—Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
Ahead of the campaign kicking off, Beren Cross will be answering your questions right here on The Athletic’s website and app.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Oasis offered few surprises in its crowd-pleasing, hit-heavy 23-song set, which the band has reprised essentially without deviation since kicking off the Live ’25 tour in Wales in July.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 17 Aug. 2025
John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
This year, the beloved coffee brand is kicking off all their seasonal favorites November 6—and fans should head straight to the bakery case for their newest offerings.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Keep those air conditioners humming, because this week is kicking off with some unusually hot weather.
—Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2025
Swiss transportation company Twiliner is kicking off a new night bus service later this year that will be more akin to a business class airline seat than your typical bus.
—Opheli Garcia Lawler, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
But the regular season is kicking off in just over a week, and Hill is still there, but not without concern.
—Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
Ahead of the campaign kicking off, Beren Cross will be answering your questions right here on The Athletic’s website and app.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Oasis offered few surprises in its crowd-pleasing, hit-heavy 23-song set, which the band has reprised essentially without deviation since kicking off the Live ’25 tour in Wales in July.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicking off
Verb
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These suburban residents hope that vigilance will prevent the process of neighbourhood change from beginning.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Holmes’ fight, however, was just beginning.—
Luke Cyphers,
Sportico.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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His goal to seal the win against Italy — a lung-busting run and cultured finish in the dying moments — helped to illustrate the impressive engine at the heart of Cremaschi’s game.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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Before dying under the weight of the boulder, the spell caster cursed the princess, her family, and the city.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The case is scheduled to be heard in London’s High Court, commencing on October 28.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The rebate checks were issued for three consecutive years, commencing in 1999.—
Robert Goulder,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This just makes the upcoming six-game homestand critical for the Wild in not falling too far behind in the Western Conference.—
Joe Smith,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
After the Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the first time since December 2024 last month, experts projected that rates would continue falling—even if ever so slightly.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
No question, there was a great deal to unpack after their 38-24 loss Sunday to the Indianapolis Colts at SoFi Stadium, starting with a defense that gave up far too many big plays on the ground and through the air to satisfy anyone in a unit that’s suddenly under siege.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
20 Oct. 2025
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Season-long struggles; still fighting Charlotte has five games left on the schedule, starting with North Texas (6-1, 2-1 American) next Friday night on ESPN2.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Sometimes, after checking out of a game, Lillard would call Simons over from the end of the bench to explain his thought process about what had just happened on the court.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Like some other customers, Micah Fannin was checking out Dutch Bros for the first time.—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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With some footage shot in LA, but the move delayed, and then Ozzy passing away, the show as originally envisaged was not possible.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Mims had a nice 17-yard punt return, but rookie RJ Harvey got benched on kickoff duties after incomprehensibly stepping out of bounds on one return.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
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Tamera Mowry is seasonally dressed in a cream jacket paired with a brown mini skirt and knee boots while stepping out of her hotel in New York.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kicking off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicking%20off. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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