as in starts
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 & Similar Words
Relevance
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 kickoffs
Santos had seven other kickoffs during that span in which the Bears’ coverage team stopped the return at or short of the 25.
—
Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026
Volunteering For One High-Visibility Initiative When the year begins, many teams are planning major initiatives, strategic meetings or kickoffs for important projects.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The 2025 All-Pro special teamer knocked the Bills around on a couple of special-teams tackles to stuff Buffalo short of the 30-yard line on two kickoffs.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2026
Of his 61 kickoffs, 56 were touchbacks.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2026
The Knights ranked second in the Big 12 last season in kickoffs, thanks to Noe Ruelas.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2026
And the Raiders apparently didn’t want to give Smith a chance to return one, with their kickoffs going to into the end zone.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Jan. 2026
But Ryan Niblett lost a fumble on a return and the Longhorns gave up 165 return yards on six kickoffs.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 1 Jan. 2026
My past 12 months of concert-going included more than two dozen shows, most of them tour kickoffs, that included every new residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas (Kenny Chesney, Backstreet Boys, Zac Brown Band) that all impressed in different ways.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 21 Dec. 2025
Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026
Volunteering For One High-Visibility Initiative When the year begins, many teams are planning major initiatives, strategic meetings or kickoffs for important projects.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The 2025 All-Pro special teamer knocked the Bills around on a couple of special-teams tackles to stuff Buffalo short of the 30-yard line on two kickoffs.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2026
Of his 61 kickoffs, 56 were touchbacks.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2026
The Knights ranked second in the Big 12 last season in kickoffs, thanks to Noe Ruelas.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2026
And the Raiders apparently didn’t want to give Smith a chance to return one, with their kickoffs going to into the end zone.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Jan. 2026
But Ryan Niblett lost a fumble on a return and the Longhorns gave up 165 return yards on six kickoffs.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 1 Jan. 2026
My past 12 months of concert-going included more than two dozen shows, most of them tour kickoffs, that included every new residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas (Kenny Chesney, Backstreet Boys, Zac Brown Band) that all impressed in different ways.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 21 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kickoffs
Noun
-
Tyler Huntley made it as an alternate three years ago after throwing two touchdowns and three interceptions in four starts with the Baltimore Ravens.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Tyler Huntley made it as an alternate three years ago after throwing two touchdowns and three interceptions in four starts with the Baltimore Ravens.—
Joe Reedy,
Denver Post,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
By moving some commencements away from increasingly costly private sites, the financially ailing school district could have saved about half a million dollars a year.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The paper is part of the beginnings of a small renaissance in California news publishing, inspired in part by years of internal turmoil at the Los Angeles Times.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
2 Feb. 2026
-
From those early beginnings, the event has grown into one of Central Florida’s most cherished community traditions, welcoming hundreds of neighbors, partners and volunteers each year.—
Jennifer Cook,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Heybike has included several safety features like a magnetic kill switch that shuts off the power if the rider disconnects from the bike, a reverse assist that helps you back out of tight places, and throttle reset protection, which guards against unintentional launches.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The fast growth has been attributed to weekly launches in new areas since August.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As a ballplayer, Kent was as irascible as Bonds; the two alphas reportedly brawled behind clubhouse doors, and famously clashed in the dugout during a 2002 game, when Bonds lunged for Kent’s throat and pushed him against the wall.—
Jeremy Collins,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The game was sold out with fans 3-4 deep on the baselines.—
Langston Wertz Jr,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Clear baselines for transparency, accountability, and autonomous system oversight help align incentives, reduce systemic risk, and build trust across markets.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kickoffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kickoffs. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
