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
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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Recent Examples of kick off
Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 31 Oct. 2025
The festival kicks off Thursday night with a Grand Tasting featuring small bites from local chefs, wine poured by the winemakers themselves, and a rhythmic night of music from The Psycodelics to round it out.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025
Taylor added that no decision could be made on whether the 40-year-old would suit up against Chicago, likely meaning that Flacco may be a game-time decision as the opening kickoff approaches.
—Cameron Belcher, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kick off
Verb
Affordable Care Act open enrollment kicks off Saturday, and this year’s enrollment period is expected to see the largest increase in costs since the law went into effect more than a decade ago.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 31 Oct. 2025
The festival kicks off Thursday night with a Grand Tasting featuring small bites from local chefs, wine poured by the winemakers themselves, and a rhythmic night of music from The Psycodelics to round it out.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
Cincinnati got the scoring started when Charlie Jones returned a kick 98 yards for a touchdown on the opening kickoff.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025
Taylor added that no decision could be made on whether the 40-year-old would suit up against Chicago, likely meaning that Flacco may be a game-time decision as the opening kickoff approaches.
—Cameron Belcher, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kick off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kick off
Verb
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Poetry is a feeling worth getting down, a process that begins with attending and listening.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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The offseason begins in earnest now that the Los Angeles Dodgers defended their title by beating the Toronto Blue Jays in Saturday night’s epic Game 7.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The baby, who initially made good progress after the surgery, died 20 days later.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
26 Oct. 2025
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The medical examiner on Friday determined that the student died by suicide.—
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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From its beginning, the leaders of the rebellion well understood the global reach and resonance of their great struggle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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But that was the beginning of everything for both of us.—
Karen Taylor Bass,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Pandemic deals gave way to record rents, and evictions started up again.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
5 Nov. 2025
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Both Roseman and Fangio have been fairly resistant to moving Cooper DeJean, their starting nickel, to outside cornerback, although the CB2 spot was a question mark during the offseason and has at times been a liability during the 2025 season.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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And King Priam, at great personal risk, shows up with a ransom and falls on his knees and clasps Achilles’ hand.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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As Semafor previously reported, many inside the magazine were excited by Guiducci’s arrival, believing the old Vanity Fair was moving too slowly, had fallen too far outside the zeitgeist, and had lost some of its sheen.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The actor previously gave a commencement speech at the college in 2021.—
Daysia Tolentino,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Oct. 2025
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Kansas City Chiefs player Harrison Butker spoke at a college commencement in 2024 and told the women that they have been told lies about their futures and probably were more excited about being wives and mothers than taking on careers.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Pre-production is slated for Q3 2026, with filming scheduled to commence in Q1 2027.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
5 Nov. 2025
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Other players, however, insist that disarmament must commence first, or else any political process will be subjected to Hamas’s interference, and to arm-twisting by those who can exert influence with their guns and tunnels.—
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Beijing nearly doubled the rate of expansion at missile production sites in the two years that followed the onset of the war, according to CNN’s satellite imagery analysis of constructed floorspace.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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Amid the second surge of the virus, in August 2020, the first ‘covid novel’ arrived—Ali Smith’s Summer, the last of a seasonal quartet, written during Britain’s early lockdown, which includes real-time descriptions of the pandemic’s onset.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kick off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kick%20off. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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