Synonyms for

Kickoff

Verb / ˈkɪˌkɔ:f / Another word for kickoff — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

a kick that starts a game of football or soccer

Synonyms & similar words

first offset beginning startingtime start startoff middle getgo outset commencement showtime sendoff start beginning opening commencement initiation launch inauguration outset opener prelude prologue curtain-raiser preamble foreword introduction leadoff preface exordium

Synonyms by register

Formal

commencement initiation inauguration launch

Informal

start beginning get-go opening

Literary

dawn genesis outset

Antonyms

conclusion cessation end termination halt stop finish

Common collocations

  • kickoff meeting
  • kickoff event
  • kickoff time
  • kickoff ceremony
  • kickoff the season
  • kickoff the project
  • kickoff the game

Word family

noun kickoff
verb kick off

Usage note

Primarily used in sports contexts to denote the start of a game, but also commonly used informally to refer to the start of any event or project. The phrasal verb 'kick off' is more common in general usage than the single word noun.

Example sentences

  1. The kickoff is when the ball is first put into play.
  2. The kickoff is an exciting moment in the game.
  3. The team that wins the coin toss gets to choose whether to receive or kickoff.
  4. The kickoff is a critical part of the game strategy.
  5. The crowd cheered loudly at the kickoff.

Quotes

  • "The dream begins, most of the time, with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you on to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called 'truth'." - Dan Rather
  • "Every game is an opportunity to measure yourself against your own potential." - Bud Wilkinson
  • "Football is not a game but a religion, a metaphysical island of fundamental truth in a highly verbalized, disguised society, a throwback of 30,000 generations of anthropological time." - Arnold Mandell

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