kick off 1 of 2

verb

Definition of kick offnext
1
as in to begin
to take the first step in (a process or course of action) I'll kick off the discussion on ethics with this question

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to die
slang to stop living surprisingly, the recluse was worth a cool million when he kicked off

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

kickoff

2 of 2

noun

ˈkik-ˌȯf How to pronounce kickoff (audio)
as in beginning
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

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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 kick off
Verb
Advertisement But once game time kicked off, Wahl would have made a point of paying close attention to the action unfolding, to prepare his piece on the game. — Sean Gregory, Time, 10 July 2026 The actor first embodied Jameson in Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man trilogy, which kicked off with 2002’s Spider-Man, directed by Sam Raimi. — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2026
Noun
The meaning is cultural and inherited, renewed in song before every kickoff. — Luis E. Romero, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 On Monday afternoon, a FIFA appeals judge dismissed Belgium’s legal challenge fewer than eight hours before kickoff. — ABC News, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for kick off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kick off
  1. begin
  2. die
  3. beginning
  4. start
  5. fall
  6. commencement
  7. commence
  8. pass away
Verb
  • The foursome began a two-year, multi-million-dollar journey that preserved the building’s original craftsmanship while modernizing the design, plumbing, and electrical.
    — Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • Crews from multiple local and state agencies began an extensive search, and his body was recovered early Monday, family members confirmed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
Definition of begin
Verb
  • That would give the planet more time to drift outward as the dying sun sheds its outer layers into space, potentially avoiding engulfment altogether.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 8 July 2026
  • The obvious gem of the collection is the attention-getting title story, about the Canadian Nobel laureate Alice Munro, who died in 2024 — and whose complex, layered short fiction Aviv admires.
    — Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of die
Noun
  • More than 73,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilian and militant deaths, including more than 1,000 killed since the beginning of the latest ceasefire.
    — Steve Peoples, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Johnson Products Company — which would later go on to manufacture Ultra Sheen, Classy Curl, Curly Perm and men’s cologne line Black Tie — was made from humble beginnings, grit and a revolutionary product idea.
    — Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of beginning
Verb
  • Available cruises on Legend currently start at $773 per person based on double occupancy, including taxes and fees, according to Royal Caribbean’s website.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • El Niño is expected to prolong an existing unrelated marine heat wave that would otherwise typically start fading between October and December, scientists say.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of start
Verb
  • Some older employees who have benefited from a booming stock market may be retiring feeling comfortable with their 401(k)s, though that doesn’t explain why the participation rate for people ages 25 to 55 has fallen.
    — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 9 July 2026
  • But for some Atlanta businesses, the major soccer tournament has fallen far short of expectations.
    — Amy Wenk, AJC.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of fall
Noun
  • Those commencement boos came from a young generation that has watched AI reframe entry-level work as inefficiency, seen generative content flood the visual landscape, and built their own creative identities through friction and craft.
    — Reid Litman, Fortune, 5 July 2026
  • There is a reason some students booed commencement speakers who mentioned AI this graduation season.
    — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of commencement
Verb
  • Just before the trial was set to commence in May, Lively dropped her lawsuit and settled with Baldoni and Wayfarer.
    — Jack Dunn, Variety, 9 July 2026
  • Jockeying has already commenced in the state for the person who might take up the mantle of Senate Democratic nominee, including among those who didn't secure the gubernatorial nomination.
    — Barbara Sprunt, NPR, 8 July 2026
Definition of commence
Verb
  • After my father passed away unexpectedly in 1960, my family was faced with significant financial challenges.
    — Jennifer Kester, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • Wally Funk, who flew to space at 82 after a lifetime of flying and fighting for women in aviation and aerospace, has passed away at age 87.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of pass away

Browse Nearby Words

kicking upstairs
kick off
kickoff
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Cite this Entry

“Kick off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kick%20off. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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