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
Senior second baseman MaKayla Van Vossen, a DePaul recruit, led off a three-run first with an opposite-field blast to left-center for her fifth home run of the season.
—
Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani led off the bottom half of the third inning.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Alec Bohn led off with a homer.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 10 May 2026
Alex Call led off the eighth with a double and scored on a two-out single by Kyle Tucker to cut the lead to one.
—CBS News, 5 May 2026
Bo Bichette led off the bottom of the first with a home run against right-hander Zack Littell, and the Mets chased him from the game in the fourth inning.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
Yandy Diaz led off with a walk, went to second on a ground out and scored on a two-out single by Vilade that ended Messick’s night.
—Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Neto led off the game with a hit.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 27 Apr. 2026
Stanton drove in two more in the sixth with a drive off the scoreboard in left-center, bringing in Amed Rosario and Aaron Judge after the Yankees led off the inning with back-to-back walks.
—ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani led off the bottom half of the third inning.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Alec Bohn led off with a homer.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 10 May 2026
Alex Call led off the eighth with a double and scored on a two-out single by Kyle Tucker to cut the lead to one.
—CBS News, 5 May 2026
Bo Bichette led off the bottom of the first with a home run against right-hander Zack Littell, and the Mets chased him from the game in the fourth inning.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
Yandy Diaz led off with a walk, went to second on a ground out and scored on a two-out single by Vilade that ended Messick’s night.
—Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Neto led off the game with a hit.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 27 Apr. 2026
Stanton drove in two more in the sixth with a drive off the scoreboard in left-center, bringing in Amed Rosario and Aaron Judge after the Yankees led off the inning with back-to-back walks.
—ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for led off
Verb
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In the late 1970s, there began a set of processes which restored the autonomy of financial capital, reset the purpose of politics, and generated a number of formidable new competitors to the nation-state.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
As the play died down, a female fan decked out in White Sox gear reportedly began mercilessly heckling the 24-year-old outfielder.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
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In an interview with People magazine published Wednesday, May 13, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos reflected on authorities' progress in the high-profile search operation, which commenced in early February after Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her home in Arizona.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
If dopamine neurons in the basal ganglia degenerate as happens in Parkinson’s disease, movements become harder to initiate and slower once they are commenced.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Verb
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That marked the weakest growth since December 2022, according to Wind data, as China started to loosen its Covid curbs.—
Anniek Bao,Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
-
Then, in 2021, I was given the opportunity through a connection at The New York Times to submit an essay about a local organization I’d started six years prior called the Donkey Soccer League.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Starship, which has not flown in 2026, last got off the ground more than seven months ago on its 11th flight test since April 2023.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
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In an interview with Jim Cramer last week, CVS CEO David Joyner acknowledged its Aetna business got off track but said it’s now seen five quarters of improvement.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
Verb
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In response to the growth of Russia’s dissent émigré community, new Russian language bookstores have opened from Prague to London.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
The latest private-members country club to have opened in Oxfordshire, wrapped in a Jacobethan hall with parkland, is a humdinger with an instant cachet.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Led off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/led%20off. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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