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
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
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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That means Swift incorporated a portion of the pop classic's composition into her version, in this case the melody and beginning chorus lyrics.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Yet there’s nothing noticeable about him—brown hair, blue eyes, a chin just beginning to widen into adolescence—except the mix of fear and determination that shows when the camera zooms in on his face.—
Gershom Gorenberg,
The Atlantic,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Public companies aren’t dying, but CEOs who don’t adapt their investor strategy will.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
7 Oct. 2025
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One notable example is the recent finding that social isolation can significantly increase the risk of having or dying from a heart attack or stroke and negatively impact brain health.—
Rob Williams,
EverydayHealth.com,
7 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
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The rebate checks were issued for three consecutive years, commencing in 1999.—
Robert Goulder,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Margins for row-crop producers have thinned amid falling prices and high fertilizer costs.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
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For millions of low-wage workers, these state-level adjustments mean a modest but tangible boost in take-home pay—often the difference between meeting basic needs and falling short.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Everton appear locked in a cycle where their starting No 9 flatters to deceive, is left out for the next game, but then the replacement fares little better.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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Around her, the rooms were starting to fill up.—
Ashley Hiruko,
ProPublica,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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The thriller — more horrific than straight-up scary — is worth checking out, if only for the late Brittany Murphy's nervy turn as a razor-wielding woman confined to a sanatorium.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Cruz Beckham brought surrealist footwear codes to Paris Fashion Week on Friday, stepping out in JW Anderson’s frog loafers — a playful collaboration with Wellipets that fused PVC nostalgia with avant-garde design.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
3 Oct. 2025
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And so, Stephanie is just, much like me, stepping out of the norm in her culture.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Creating turnovers is important, but so is getting off the field, which TCU hasn’t been able to do consistently.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Oct. 2025
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After getting off to a 1-2-1 start to the season, Jerry Jones and company badly need a win.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kicking off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicking%20off. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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