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
Here, each of the cat qubits starts off in the same state and is entangled with its neighboring transmons.
—
John Timmer, Ars Technica, 26 Feb. 2025
Jane starts off literally like plain Jane, very sweet and wholesome.
—EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025
Pizzeria da Michele first started off in Naples, and the same recipes are used in the West Village location.
—Shivani Vora, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
What started off as a tranquil moment of solitude turned into a disaster, as the Labrador showed no understanding of personal space.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for start off
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John Timmer, Ars Technica, 26 Feb. 2025
Jane starts off literally like plain Jane, very sweet and wholesome.
—EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025
Pizzeria da Michele first started off in Naples, and the same recipes are used in the West Village location.
—Shivani Vora, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
What started off as a tranquil moment of solitude turned into a disaster, as the Labrador showed no understanding of personal space.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 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 3 Mar. 2025.
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