kickoff
Americannoun
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kickoffs
plural
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Football. a place kick or a drop kick from the 40-yard line of the team kicking at the beginning of the first and third periods or after the team kicking has scored a touchdown or field goal.
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Soccer. a kick that puts a stationary ball into play from the center line of the field at the start of a quarter or after a goal has been scored.
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the initial stage of something; start; beginning.
the campaign kickoff.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of kickoff
First recorded in 1855–60; noun use of verb phrase kick off
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.
See Examples For:
Cowboys cheerleader Michelle Siemienowski says she’s OK after the UC Santa Barbara graduate got hit in the head with a football when a kickoff went out of bounds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026
Come kickoff on Sunday, fans don’t expect to be anywhere near potential unrest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026
Rams kicker Blake Grupe was injured in the first quarter of his debut while pushing a kickoff returner out of bounds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
On the ensuing kickoff, with Arizona returning the ball into dangerous territory, Grupe put his body on the line to push the ball carrier out of bounds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
Odessa High got the ball back on the kickoff with less than a minute left in the half.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
Executives also hire him to help write their material for corporate kickoffs and all-hands meetings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
While the matches drew protests against the Iranian regime, including some booing both times the national anthem was played before kickoffs, the crowds heavily favored and cheered loudly for the Iranian team.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
“Field goals have got to go through the uprights, punts got to go outside the numbers with good hang time and kickoffs got to get on the ground just like any other game,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 17, 2026
That first season, the percentage of touchbacks on kickoffs plummeted because kickers couldn’t boot the ball as far.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025
I’d been at campaign kickoffs, fund-raisers, and election-night parties.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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