start off: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to informal
Quick answer
What does “start off” mean?
To begin or commence an action, process, or journey.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To begin or commence an action, process, or journey.
To cause something to begin; to be the initial point or stage in a series; to make a first move or impression.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More common in British English, but fully understood and used in American English. In AmE, 'start out' is a close synonym often used for beginning journeys or careers.
Connotations
Slightly more conversational in both varieties. In BrE, can sound more natural in describing the beginning of a process.
Frequency
Higher frequency in British English corpus data.
Grammar
How to Use “start off” in a Sentence
[Sb] start off[Sb] start off [doing sth][Sb] start off [sth][Sb] start off [sth] by [doing sth][Sb] start off with [sth]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “start off” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We should start off with a brief introduction.
- The car started off fine but then overheated.
- He started off his career as a trainee.
American English
- Let's start off by reviewing the agenda.
- She started off in sales before moving to marketing.
- The movie starts off with a car chase.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"Let's start off the presentation with the quarterly figures."
Academic
"The researcher decided to start off with a literature review."
Everyday
"We'll start off by making a list of what we need."
Technical
"The procedure starts off with initialising the system parameters."
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “start off”
- Using 'start off to do' instead of 'start off by doing' or 'start off doing'.
- Using 'start off from' incorrectly for 'start off with' (e.g., 'Let's start off from exercise 1' vs. 'Let's start off with exercise 1').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neutral but leans slightly towards informal. In very formal writing, 'begin' or 'commence' might be preferred.
Often minimal and interchangeable. 'Start off' can emphasize the initial phase of a longer process or journey ('start off on a trip'). 'Start' is more general.
Yes, it can be intransitive (e.g., 'The day started off badly.') or transitive (e.g., 'She started off the meeting.').
Yes, when used transitively. E.g., 'She started the meeting off' is also correct, though 'started off the meeting' is more common.
To begin or commence an action, process, or journey.
Start off: in British English it is pronounced /stɑːt ɒf/, and in American English it is pronounced /stɑːrt ɔːf/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Start off on the right foot”
- “Start off on the wrong foot”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a runner at the STARTing line, and the gun goes OFF. They START OFF the race.
Conceptual Metaphor
BEGINNING IS A POINT OF DEPARTURE (e.g., start off on a journey).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'start off' correctly?