start off
phrasal verb
started off; starting off; starts off
1
: to start or cause (something) to start in a specified way
He started off by introducing himself.
She started off (her run) at a slow jog.
The performance started off badly.
—often + withI started off my speech with a joke.
We started off the meal with shrimp cocktails.
The team started the season off with a 10-game winning streak.
2
: to have a specified quality, identity, job, etc., at the start
She started off as a sales assistant but is now the marketing director.
3
: to begin an important period in one's life or career
The house is perfect for a couple just starting off.
4
: to begin to move toward a particular place or in a particular direction
She ate breakfast before starting off for work.
5
: to cause (someone) to begin doing a particular activity or action
He started his daughter off on the piano.
The game-show host started her off with some easy questions.
Examples of start off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The trials in the months ahead Karen Read, who prosecutors say drunkenly hit her boyfriend with her car in Canton, Massachusetts, in January 2022, started off the season of trials on April 1.
—
Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 10 May 2025
From starting off on the right promotional foot, to dealing with the oftentimes uncomfortable negotiation process, these garage sale mistakes and solutions are all about setting you up for a sale that’s bound to be the event of the season.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2025
Taking advantage of the lesser competition and potent lead-ins, The Voice (Monday) for The Irrational and The Voice (Tuesday) for Found, the dramas started off well on NBC and Peacock.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 9 May 2025
Nix started off slow but by the end of the season, appeared to take several steps forward.
—Bryce Lazenby, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for start off
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Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 10 May 2025
From starting off on the right promotional foot, to dealing with the oftentimes uncomfortable negotiation process, these garage sale mistakes and solutions are all about setting you up for a sale that’s bound to be the event of the season.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2025
Taking advantage of the lesser competition and potent lead-ins, The Voice (Monday) for The Irrational and The Voice (Tuesday) for Found, the dramas started off well on NBC and Peacock.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 9 May 2025
Nix started off slow but by the end of the season, appeared to take several steps forward.
—Bryce Lazenby, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for start off
Cite this Entry
“Start off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/start%20off. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
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