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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of kick off
Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2026
The episode kicks off with Luke’s daughter Lulu coming across an old photo of her dad, prompting her to show the picture to Luke’s partner Tracy, launching a pledge to honor the late character with memories and anecdotes.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2026
Dallas Morning News, 14 Feb. 2026
Mountain Time kickoff on Wednesday.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kick off
Verb
The trek kicks off in Vienna on March 12 and hits numerous cities, including Berlin, Zurich, Paris, and Dublin, before wrapping in London on March 31.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2026
The episode kicks off with Luke’s daughter Lulu coming across an old photo of her dad, prompting her to show the picture to Luke’s partner Tracy, launching a pledge to honor the late character with memories and anecdotes.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
Edgecombe led Team Vince to victory in the kickoff event for the NBA All-Star weekend Friday night, scoring 17 points in the semifinal before hitting two free throws to ice the final.
—Dallas Morning News, 14 Feb. 2026
Mountain Time kickoff on Wednesday.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kick off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kick off
Verb
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Paxton began his run for the GOP nomination with a relatively low profile and less spending than Cornyn, but has kicked his campaign into high gear as the primary approaches.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Feb. 2026
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Kaley sued Snap and TikTok as well; the two companies settled before the trial began but remain defendants in hundreds of other cases.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Authorities on Wednesday confirmed eight of the remaining skiers had died, with the ninth missing and presumed dead.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
22 Feb. 2026
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But that dream died along with her husband.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the picture, baby Elvis is wearing a battered but jaunty felt hat, the sunshine center of a family that also, at the beginning, had nothing.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
20 Feb. 2026
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The opening run of tracks is everything that critics have thrown at them from the beginning.—
Hannah Jocelyn,
Pitchfork,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For reference, batteries in things like cellphones typically require around 800 cycles before the battery starts to degrade.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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The three-way pact is scheduled for joint review starting July 1.—
Foreign Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Tigers, particularly Mark Mitchell, put in a strong effort but fell short in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in a 94-86 loss.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
22 Feb. 2026
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Pielmeier expects the conditions to subside in much of Switzerland over the course of next week, once the new snow has stabilized, except in the south of the country where less snow has fallen.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The élite public and private universities are intentionally exclusionary, which is why seemingly every one of their commencement speakers talks about the assembled, in their caps and gowns, as the future leaders of America and the best of the best.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
17 Feb. 2026
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These are the tentative dates, as the actual commencement date of Ramadan 2026 depends on the sighting of the moon.—
Lianna Norman,
Florida Times-Union,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As previously reported by FN, Pedro García’s 100th anniversary celebrations commenced in 2025 with a range of endeavors including a special capsule collection called Essentia, in-store pop-ins, the aforementioned commemorative book and a series of exclusive events.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
19 Feb. 2026
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Tied heavily to the moon's phases, the Lunar New Year has commenced this week as adherents usher in the Year of the Horse with a variety of cultural traditions.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Furthermore, since liposomal vitamin C absorbs faster, the side effects of too much vitamin C can have a quicker onset.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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Fasten loose objects or shelter objects in a safe location prior to the onset of winds.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kick off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kick%20off. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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