as in began
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
plans to lead off the news conference with a prepared statement
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Recent Examples of led off
Carter Jensen led off the game with a home run, and John Rave, Lane Thomas and Michael Massey also went deep as the Royals avoided a three-game sweep in Washington.
—
ABC News, 17 June 2026
Trevor Larnach led off the game with a home run, Kody Clemens added a three-run shot, and the Twins clinched another series victory in Texas with an 12-2 win over the Rangers on Tuesday night in Arlington.
—Staff, Twin Cities, 17 June 2026
Owen Cassie led off the second inning with his seventh homer of the season after the Phillies had tied the game at 2.
—CBS News, 17 June 2026
Neto led off the fifth with a towering triple to center field and scored on Trout’s homer a few feet above where Neto’s triple caromed.
—Mark Gonzales, Oc Register, 17 June 2026
The Marlins finally accomplished that feat in the fifth when Javier Sanoja led off with a single.
—Miami Herald, 17 June 2026
Royals’ offense provided some support Rookie catcher Carter Jensen led off the game with a home run.
—Kansas City Star, 17 June 2026
The momentum started when Jen Callahan led off with a walk, Lola Ronayne advanced her to second with a single and Sophie Borges hit into an error that scored the two.
—Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026
Tovar led off the second with a 433-foot missile to left-center, his fourth homer of the season.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 10 June 2026
ABC News, 17 June 2026
Trevor Larnach led off the game with a home run, Kody Clemens added a three-run shot, and the Twins clinched another series victory in Texas with an 12-2 win over the Rangers on Tuesday night in Arlington.
—Staff, Twin Cities, 17 June 2026
Owen Cassie led off the second inning with his seventh homer of the season after the Phillies had tied the game at 2.
—CBS News, 17 June 2026
Neto led off the fifth with a towering triple to center field and scored on Trout’s homer a few feet above where Neto’s triple caromed.
—Mark Gonzales, Oc Register, 17 June 2026
The Marlins finally accomplished that feat in the fifth when Javier Sanoja led off with a single.
—Miami Herald, 17 June 2026
Royals’ offense provided some support Rookie catcher Carter Jensen led off the game with a home run.
—Kansas City Star, 17 June 2026
The momentum started when Jen Callahan led off with a walk, Lola Ronayne advanced her to second with a single and Sophie Borges hit into an error that scored the two.
—Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026
Tovar led off the second with a 433-foot missile to left-center, his fourth homer of the season.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for led off
Verb
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After Iran played to a draw Sunday at SoFi Stadium, its second of the World Cup in as many matches, the team’s coach began his postmatch assessment by backing up six months.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
22 June 2026
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Young also noted that Iran’s Gulf neighbors will invest in pipelines to avoid oil flows through the strait, which allowed for the transit of 20 million barrels a day before the war began.—
Deva Lee,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
Verb
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In preparation for the aircraft’s arrival next year, Qantas pilots have commenced training on Australia’s first A350 simulator in Sydney and with British Airways in the UK.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
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Years later, on May 24, 2011, Casey's trial commenced in Orlando.—
Kelsie Gibson,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Just as nine days of early voting started June 13, Conley became the latest target of attack ads linked to Republicans, who used similar tactics to influence voters in earlier Democratic primaries this year.—
Chris McKenna,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
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What started as a handful of infested trees in Evergreen, Colorado, has turned into hundreds for landowner Jon Hager.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
22 June 2026
Verb
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The Ivory Coast's quest for a World Cup got off to a great start with a 1-0 victory over Ecuador on Sunday, but a recent scandal involving one of its players may put a dark cloud over its entire tournament run.—
Austin Perry,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
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Ohtani’s seventh inning got off to an inauspicious start.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
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In his car, Lestat is no longer able to repress his memories after having opened the floodgates.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
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Kyle Stowers opened the scoring with a 426-foot homer in the second, and Otto López drove him in from first with a go-ahead double in the fourth.—
Tyler Carmona,
Miami Herald,
21 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Led off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/led%20off. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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