kickstarting conversation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "kickstarting conversation" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to initiating or stimulating a discussion or dialogue, often in a social or professional context. Example: "The icebreaker activity was effective in kickstarting conversation among the participants."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

While I was in Manchester last week I also went to the Royal Exchange's A Night at the Theatre, which is part of a longer-term and imaginative audience-engagement initiative examining the invisible contract between a theatre building and its audience, kickstarting conversations around what a theatre is and might be.

The Guardian

Moments launched back in the summer of 2014 with the goal of kickstarting conversations among matches.

TechCrunch

His plans sound ambitious – writing his own material, video content and, most importantly, the opportunity to bring people together: "For me, it's about being a hub, or being involved in helping people to kickstart conversations that maybe will help make a change for the better".

The Guardian - Sport

AVEN started small but quickly ballooned, creating what would become a tight-knit online community and kickstarting a conversation about asexuality and its implications for the wider world.

Huffington Post

That's what conceptual work does: it kickstarts a conversation it's necessary to have.

The Guardian - Books

Barclay, keen to kickstart the conversation, launched into a disquisition about his own recollections of Jamaica; the beaches at Boston Bay, the Blue Mountains, Dunn's River Falls, that sort of thing.

The Guardian - Sport

To kickstart the conversation, here's our reporter Helen Davidson's own horror story: A bunch of passengers, including myself, became violently ill on a 2008 flight from Sydney to Ho Chi Minh City, after the plane hit severe turbulence somewhere over central New South Wales that didn't let up until we were past Brunei.

The Guardian - Opinion

The bottom line is that asking how someone is has more or less become the social norm to kickstart a conversation.

Huffington Post

And then, I'd go back to take care of the baby, realizing that this is the world she will be welcomed into". So, she decided to kickstart a conversation about eating disorders — a mental illness, which, she finds, forces people to justify actions as they would an addiction.

Los Angeles Times

"Ebola is going to take over the country, right?" These days, folks who know me as an infectious-diseases specialist kickstart conversations with a similar question and then ask, "Should I buy a gas mask and a space suit?" Calm down, people!

Huffington Post

It's a simple enough question, usually kickstarting a Gchat conversation around 11 AM or so on any given Monday: "How was your weekend?" I often fire back without much thought, and key in a friendly platitude like "Good!" or "Fine" or "Kinda boring" or "Fuck my life I'm exhausted".

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "kickstarting conversation" when you want to convey a sense of energetic initiation to a discussion. It is suitable when something specific acts as a catalyst for the conversation.

Common error

Avoid using "kickstarting conversation" in highly formal or academic writing. Opt for more neutral alternatives like "initiating a dialogue" or "starting a conversation" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "kickstarting conversation" functions as a verb phrase describing the act of initiating or stimulating a discussion. It implies that something is actively prompting or encouraging a conversation to begin.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "kickstarting conversation" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe the act of initiating a discussion. Although Ludwig indicates the phrase is valid, there's limited data about this exact phrase, resulting in a "Missing" frequency rating. When you want to express a dynamic start to a dialogue, consider "kickstarting conversation", but in very formal contexts, opting for alternatives like "initiating a dialogue" ensures a more professional tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Starting a conversation

A more straightforward and general way to express the beginning of a conversation.

Initiating a dialogue

Focuses on a more formal and structured beginning of a discussion.

Sparking a discussion

Emphasizes the element of excitement or suddenness in starting the conversation.

Stimulating discussion

Focuses on the act of encouraging and arousing interest in a conversation.

Fostering dialogue

Highlights the nurturing and promotion of ongoing conversation.

Launching a discussion

Suggests a more formal or planned commencement of a conversation.

Prompting a dialogue

Emphasizes the act of encouraging or instigating a discussion through a specific action or event.

Activating a conversation

Implies bringing a dormant or potential conversation into action.

Generating conversation

Highlights the creation and production of discussion.

Catalyzing discussion

Suggests that the phrase accelerates the rate of conversation that happen between people

FAQs

How can I use "kickstarting conversation" in a sentence?

You can use "kickstarting conversation" to describe an action or event that initiates a discussion. For example, "The presentation was effective in kickstarting conversation among the attendees."

What are some alternatives to "kickstarting conversation"?

You can use alternatives such as "initiating a dialogue", "sparking a discussion", or "starting a conversation" depending on the context.

Is "kickstarting conversation" appropriate for formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "kickstarting conversation" might be too informal for certain formal contexts. Consider using alternatives like "initiating a dialogue" for a more professional tone.

What's the difference between "kickstarting conversation" and "starting conversation"?

"Kickstarting conversation" implies a more energetic or catalytic beginning to a discussion, whereas "starting conversation" is a more neutral and general term for beginning a discussion.