kicking off

verb

present participle of kick off
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of kicking off In a dear-colleague letter to Democratic lawmakers officially kicking off his speakership bid, Jeffries hinted at additional legislative items. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 5 Nov. 2026 In 2023, the Lakers signed Davis to a three-year extension, the richest NBA deal by average annual value at the time, with the $175 million pact kicking off last season. — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 5 Nov. 2026 And because Philadelphia leads the country in the number of youngsters who are vaping, the city health department is kicking off a new anti-vaping campaign. — Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 Day two of the STAT Summit is just kicking off as this newsletter lands in inboxes. — Mario Aguilar, STAT, 15 Oct. 2026 After overwhelming demand for tickets, Duff announced new dates through November 2027, kicking off in Madrid in May 2027 and wrapping in Anaheim, California, next November. — Katie Atkinson, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2026 The Chiefs defeated the 49ers 31-20 in Super Bowl LIV, kicking off Kansas City’s dynasty. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026 In September 2023, the American Woman actress was photographed walking the red carpet at the Vogue World Show, kicking off London Fashion Week. — Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026 The start of the 2026-27 Premier League season is one week away, with the first game, Arsenal vs Coventry City, kicking off next Friday. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kicking off
  1. beginning
  2. dying
  3. commencing
  4. falling
  5. starting
  6. checking out
  7. getting off
  8. passing away
Verb
  • While many historic firsts were made, the Center for American Women and Politics reports that as of now, 139 women are projected to serve in the 120th Congress beginning in January, down slightly from the 152 women serving currently.
    — Katie Kindelan, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The result carries particular significance after Republican state lawmakers changed Cabarrus school board elections from nonpartisan to partisan contests beginning in 2024.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of beginning
Verb
  • Arthur is dying for the family to find out about Reggie’s son Carmelo (Jalyn Hall) and his secret relationship with Delilah Basmati (Arica Himmel), daughter of Reggie’s nemesis, Jerry Basmati (Craig Robinson).
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Nov. 2026
  • People are dying regularly from lithium-ion batteries and people are being disfigured.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of dying
Verb
  • Holmes was convicted of fraud in 2018 and sentenced to just over 11 years in federal prison, commencing in May 2023.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The film will shoot on location at the heart of Pendle in Lancashire, with principal photography commencing end of September.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of commencing
Verb
  • The Senate homeland security committee has one of the broadest investigative jurisdictions in Congress, with instances of waste, fraud, abuse, corruption, and mismanagement across the federal government all falling within the panel’s purview.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026
  • In a potentially troublesome sign for the future, analysts have noted that while tech earnings remain strong, many of their potential clients are struggling, with borrowing weak and non-AI investment falling.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of falling
Verb
  • Below, shop 13 of my favorite holiday-ready sets on Amazon starting at just $20.
    — Natalie LaBarbera, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Sir Dickie Evans, who was knighted by Britain’s King Charles in 2024 for his services to business, sport, and charity, built his businesses from the ground up, starting with export-quality fruit and vegetables destined for European markets.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of starting
Verb
  • Protect your accounts and personal information A suspicious shopping site may ask you to create an account before checking out.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Please adjust the total quantity of ‌iPhone Duo‌ in your order before checking out.
    — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of checking out
Verb
  • Katie, who worked at the TD Bank on Shore Parkway in Bath Beach, typically met up with her parents at the Wendy’s next to her job after getting off work.
    — Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 3 Nov. 2026
  • For Dallas, that has been one of the biggest issues for the defense — getting off the field and not allowing an offense to take huge chunks off the clock.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of getting off
Verb
  • For Ashton-Roberts, his mom, Jenny, suffered from the disease for over 10 years before passing away in July.
    — Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2026
  • For her part, Lily Renée continued drawing comics for many years after Rio’s retirement and was inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame in 2007 before passing away in New York in 2022, at the age of 101.
    — Gaby Iori October 7, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of passing away

Browse Nearby Words

kicking in
kicking off
kicking out
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Cite this Entry

“Kicking off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kicking%20off. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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