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
Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 6 Feb. 2026
The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics kicked off in Milan on Friday evening, local time.
—Emily Bogle, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026
Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
Hurts, Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith and Lynn Swann were all honored before kickoff at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
—Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kick off
Verb
The 2026 Winter Olympics officially kick off with the opening ceremony at San Siro Stadium in Milan this evening.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 6 Feb. 2026
The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics kicked off in Milan on Friday evening, local time.
—Emily Bogle, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
Also on Monday, an ex-aide in Adams’ office was fined $400 for violating city rules by using his government email account to advertise a kickoff event for Adams’ reelection bid.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
Hurts, Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith and Lynn Swann were all honored before kickoff at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
—Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kick off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kick off
Verb
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Many are optimistic the recent leadership change will begin to bear fruit.—
Laure Guilbault,
Vogue,
10 Feb. 2026
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The field, north of the mining town of Ballarat, had been used as a campsite during the Australian Gold Rush, which began in 1851 and continued for decades.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Brad Arnold, the 47-year-old cofounder and lead singer of the Mississippi rock band 3 Doors Down, died Saturday, nine months after revealing a diagnosis of kidney cancer.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
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The company's founder and namesake, Walt Disney, had died in December 1966, but his presence still loomed large over a studio that was seemingly second-guessing its every move.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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From the beginning, a mayoral run would have been a risky move for Horvath, who is not expected to face any major challengers to her own bid for reelection.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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At the beginning of January, two more lawsuits were filed.—
Gillian Stawiszynski,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the past year, their silence broken by the abolition of the police force, residents have started trading stories.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Sullivan, raised in Massachusetts and now based in New York, started her gallery as a hybrid space straddling the worlds of decorative arts and fine art, of things made yesterday and over a century ago.—
Grace Edquist,
Vogue,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Council members had long pledged to quell gang violence and improve life for Haiti but fell overwhelmingly short.—
EVENS SANON,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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Short video and artificial intelligence video generation company Kuaishou fell by 11% during the same time period.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Known for his couture collections and dressing icons such as Cicely Tyson and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Michael previously served as a guest lecturer, critic and commencement speaker at the school.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
6 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,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Principal photography will commence June 2026.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
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While some Winter Olympic qualifying rounds begin on Wednesday, February 4, the Milano Cortina Games officially commence with the opening ceremony on February 6 and run until Sunday, February 22.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In Alzheimer’s disease, for example, people with more cognitive reserve often delay the onset of symptoms despite the presence of the amyloid and tau, two proteins that are the hallmark signs of the neurological disorder.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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According to reports, O'Hara, 71, died within hours of the onset of symptoms, the document reads.—
Sara Moniuszko,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kick off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kick%20off. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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