What does “Get the ball rolling” mean?
To start an activity, process, or project and create momentum.
Main example sentence
“We scheduled a kickoff meeting on Monday to get the ball rolling.”
How and when to use it
It suits projects, meetings, applications, events, and shared plans. The first action does not need to be dramatic: sending an invitation, drafting an outline, or asking the opening question can get things rolling. The shortened form get things rolling has the same basic meaning.
More natural examples
- I will send the agenda today to get the ball rolling.
- A small deposit is enough to get the booking process rolling.
- The chair got the ball rolling by asking for the first proposal.
- Let’s choose a date and get the ball rolling on the reunion.
Starting action, not finishing work
The idiom marks the beginning of progress. It does not imply that the remaining work will be easy or that responsibility ends after the first step.
Simple alternatives
- start the process
- take the first step
- begin the discussion
- set things in motion