“Kick off” is the phrasal verb meaning to begin, including the start of a game or activity. “Kickoff” is a noun for that beginning, and Cambridge also documents “kick-off” as a noun spelling. The noun spelling can therefore vary by region or style.
ReviewedEvidence2 sourcesSectionEnglish Usage
Quick answer
Use “kick off” for the verb. “Kickoff” is a noun spelling, while Cambridge also records hyphenated “kick-off,” especially in British usage.
Key details
Confusion Familyword-boundary
Noun Variant Scopeclosed kickoff and hyphenated kick-off are documented noun forms
Rule Familyorthographic-boundary
Termskickoff, kick-off, kick off
Choose the right form
Decision table for Kickoff vs. Kick Off
If you mean / need
Use
Why
to begin a game, meeting, campaign, or activity
kick off
It is the phrasal verb.
the beginning or starting event as a noun
kickoff / kick-off
Both noun spellings are documented.
Further guidance
Core difference
Use two words when you mean the action: “The meeting will kick off at nine.”
Fast Test
If the phrase can become “kicked off” or “kicking off,” use the two-word verb.
Regional Boundary
Cambridge records closed “kickoff” and also hyphenated “kick-off,” so a consistent house style may choose the noun spelling.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
Standard English writes “a lot” as two words for a large amount, number, frequency, or degree. “Alot” is a common misspelling in this sense; it should not be confused with the separate verb “allot.”
“Blackout” is the closed noun, while “black out” is the two-word phrasal verb. The verb can describe losing consciousness or obscuring/darkening something; the noun names the resulting event or state.
“Blowout” is a closed noun for several events or results, and Cambridge also records “blow-out” as a noun variant. “Blow out” is the two-word phrasal verb, including the sense of extinguishing a flame.
“Breakout” is a closed noun for an escape and an adjective in several established senses. Cambridge also documents “break-out” in modifier use. “Break out” is the two-word phrasal verb for meanings such as beginning suddenly or escaping.
“Breakthrough” is a closed noun for an important discovery or advance and can also modify a following noun. “Break through” is the two-word phrasal verb for forcing or moving through a barrier or threshold.
“Build up” is the two-word phrasal verb. For the noun, Cambridge records hyphenated “build-up,” while its American dictionary also records closed “buildup.” The noun spelling therefore has a documented regional/style variant rather than one universal form.
