kick off
8 synonyms and 3 antonyms for kick off, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To begin something, especially an event, campaign or meeting.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. verb
To begin something, especially an event, campaign or meeting.
“We'll kick off the session with introductions.”
Opposites
2. verb British informal
To lose your temper or start causing trouble, or of a situation, to erupt into a row or fight.
“He kicked off when they refused him entry.”
How to use kick off
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
kick off the meeting
kick-off time
kicks off on Monday
it all kicked off
The 'start' and sporting senses are neutral; the 'lose your temper' sense is British slang.
Frequently asked questions
Is it kick off or kick-off?
Hyphenate or close it up when it is a noun or an adjective: the kick-off, a kickoff meeting. Leave it as two words when it is a verb: we kick off at noon. American writing tends to prefer kickoff with no hyphen.
What is a kick-off meeting?
It is the first meeting of a project, held to agree the goals, scope, roles and timeline before work starts. The name borrows the football image of the moment play begins.
What does it mean when someone says 'it kicked off'?
In British English that usually means a fight or a serious argument broke out. Context tells you whether the speaker means trouble started or an event simply began.
