Thesaurus
begin
begin
verb
Definition of BEGIN
1
to take the first step in (a process or course of action) <she began walking to work for exercise>
Synonyms commence, embark (on or upon), enter (into or upon), fall (to), get off, kick off, launch, lead off, open, start, strike (into)
Related Words create, generate, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, invent, originate; adopt, embrace, take on, take up; establish, father, found, institute, organize, pioneer, set up, spawn; get around (to), get down (to), get round (to)
Phrases get going, get to, set about
2
to come into existence <the storm began late in the day and lasted all night>
Synonyms actualize, appear, arise, break, commence, dawn, engender, form, materialize, originate, set in, spring, start
Related Words be, breathe, exist, live, subsist; arrive, come on, emerge; coalesce, cohere, shape (up); continue, endure, last, persist, survive
3
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of <the religious sect was begun by a small breakaway faction>
Synonyms begin, constitute, establish, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, launch, pioneer, plant, set up, start
Related Words author, father, originate; conceive, concoct, contrive, cook (up), create, devise, fabricate, invent, make up, manufacture, produce, think (up); construct, put up; develop, enlarge, expand; endow, finance, fund, subsidize; arrange, organize, systematize, systemize; refound, reinitiate, reinstitute, relaunch
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