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
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Recent Examples of kickoffs
His work on kickoffs and punts led to mixed results.
—
Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2026
Fans who like Saturday games and dislike nighttime kickoffs should be quite pleased.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 27 May 2026
Those include the creation of the Sunday Night Soccer package, the allowance of more daytime kickoffs in colder-weather markets, and most recently the erasure of the MLS Season Pass package in favor of making the entire match inventory available for all Apple TV+ subscribers.
—Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
There were 35 concussions on kickoffs in 2025 compared to eight in 2024 mainly because moving the touchback to the 35-yard line resulted in 1,157 more returns.
—ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
Concussions There were 35 concussions on kickoffs in 2025 compared to eight in 2024 mainly because moving the touchback to the 35-yard line resulted in 1,157 more returns.
—Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
For a prospect with such gaudy rushing statistics, Walton appears capable of doing a little bit of everything, including returning kickoffs.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
One particularly promising application involves tracking when the ball crosses the sideline during kickoffs and punts.
—Jason Corso, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
That rate has since dropped, even if some football traditionalists struggle to accept the new-look kickoffs.
—Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Feb. 2026
Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2026
Fans who like Saturday games and dislike nighttime kickoffs should be quite pleased.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 27 May 2026
Those include the creation of the Sunday Night Soccer package, the allowance of more daytime kickoffs in colder-weather markets, and most recently the erasure of the MLS Season Pass package in favor of making the entire match inventory available for all Apple TV+ subscribers.
—Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
There were 35 concussions on kickoffs in 2025 compared to eight in 2024 mainly because moving the touchback to the 35-yard line resulted in 1,157 more returns.
—ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
Concussions There were 35 concussions on kickoffs in 2025 compared to eight in 2024 mainly because moving the touchback to the 35-yard line resulted in 1,157 more returns.
—Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
For a prospect with such gaudy rushing statistics, Walton appears capable of doing a little bit of everything, including returning kickoffs.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
One particularly promising application involves tracking when the ball crosses the sideline during kickoffs and punts.
—Jason Corso, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
That rate has since dropped, even if some football traditionalists struggle to accept the new-look kickoffs.
—Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kickoffs
Noun
-
Over the following decade, his lab would, in fits and starts, chip away at their obsession.—
Siddhant Pusdekar,
Quanta Magazine,
1 June 2026
-
Wacha was among seven American League pitchers to work at least five innings or more in their first 11 starts.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Recent Harvard commencements have grown much more political.—
Michael Casey,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
-
Originally called MarchingOrder, Tassel had provided services for commencements for around 20 years before adding the AI name offering.—
Kendall Staton The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
This is a year of new beginnings, adventures and major changes in your life.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
That’s mastering the art of new beginnings—one attempt at a time.—
Tamar Gakharia,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The makeover puts the 700 Sky, the flagship of the sporty Skydeck line, on par with other recent Galeon launches, including the 520 Fly and 620 Fly.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
3 June 2026
-
Russia’s government, which has historically also released safety notices for its space launches, has begun issuing such warnings to cover extended periods over many days in a bid to conceal when a launch might actually occur.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2026
Noun
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In the past few years, Underwood has come to realize that a bunch of barking alphas may not, in fact, be the best way to build a successful pack.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
-
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 junior share of new hires — the fraction of jobs going to early-career workers — has fallen roughly 8 to 11 percentage points below 2019 baselines in every one of those countries.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
-
Isolating microplastics that slough off synthetic textiles such as polyester and nylon made the contrast even starker, with airborne levels rising to 100 times global baselines and aquatic concentrations soaring to 200 times higher.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kickoffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kickoffs. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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