kickoff

the point at which something begins a political cycle in which an election marks not only the end of one campaign but also the kickoff for the next one Synonyms alpha, baseline, birth, commencement, dawn, day one, genesis, get-go (also git-go), inception, incipience, incipiency, beginning, launch, morning, nascence, nascency, onset, outset, start, thresholdRelated Words drawing board, first base, ground zero, square one; creation, founding, inauguration, initiation, institution, origination; cradle, fountain, fountainhead, germ, origin, root, seedbed, source, spring, well, wellspring; dawning, opening; advent, appearance, arrival, debut (also début), emergence; childhood, infancy, youthNear Antonyms cessation, closing, closure, completion, finale, finish, period, stop, termination, windupAntonyms close, conclusion, end, ending, omega