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kick-start

American

[kik-stahrt] / ˈkɪkˌstɑrt /

Or kickstart

verb (used with object)

to start by means of a kick starter.

to kick-start a motorcycle.

kick-start British

/ ˈkɪkˌstɑːt /

verb

to start (a motorcycle engine) by means of a pedal that is kicked downwards
informal to make (something) active, functional, or productive again

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

an action or event resulting in the reactivation of something

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

kick-starter noun

Etymology

Origin of kick-start

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The purchase helps Amazon kick-start its space strategy by leveraging Globalstar’s existing satellites.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

I gave him $5,000 a few years ago to help kick-start him.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

Newcastle are simply running out of fixtures to finally kick-start their Premier League season once and for all.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026

An escalation of that size could kick-start talks between Paramount and Warner, according to people familiar with the matter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

I heard him racing across the gravel, yelling, “Maia!” to kick-start his flying sneakers.

From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023