kickoff

1 of 2

noun

kick·​off ˈkik-ˌȯf How to pronounce kickoff (audio)
1
: a kick that puts the ball into play in a football or soccer game
the opening kickoff
2
: the start of something : commencement
the campaign kickoff

kick off

2 of 2

verb

kicked off; kicking off; kicks off

intransitive verb

1
: to start or resume play in football by a placekick
2
a
: to initiate proceedings
b
: to start out : begin
the movie kicks off with a bank robbery
3
slang : die

transitive verb

: to mark the beginning of
kick off the campaign

Examples of kickoff in a Sentence

Noun At his campaign kickoff, the senator gave a passionate speech about combating poverty. His speech marked the kickoff of his campaign. Verb I'll kick off the discussion on ethics with this question. surprisingly, the recluse was worth a cool million when he kicked off
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Other points of note: the oddity of playing Everton twice in December, the absence of a traditional Boxing Day or New Year’s Day fixture, plus midweek kickoffs against Wolves (twice) and Manchester City. Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 18 June 2025 Williams scored 29 touchdowns from scrimmage also scored on a kickoff return in 2024. Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 June 2025
Verb
Earlier this month, immigration raids kicked off a wave of protests elsewhere in Los Angeles and across the country. Sam Blum, New York Times, 22 June 2025 If cheerleaders were caught dating players, they were allegedly kicked off the team. Emily Krauser, People.com, 21 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for kickoff

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1857, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of kickoff was in 1856

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kickoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kickoff. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

kickoff

1 of 2 noun
kick·​off ˈkik-ˌȯf How to pronounce kickoff (audio)
: a kick that puts the ball into play (as in soccer or football)

kick off

2 of 2 verb
(ˈ)kik-ˈȯf
1
: to make a kickoff
2

More from Merriam-Webster on kickoff

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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